October 2011
» Taking the Road South Naomi Tweddle’s Exciting Motorcylce Journey Across a Continent
» How Attainable is the American Dream?
» Starting Life in the U.S. With a Broken Foot
» Humble Beginnings, On To U.S.
Message From The Editor Welcome readers of International Student Voice Magazine! The goal of ISV is to be a resource for international students in the U.S. and for U.S. students studying abroad. Going to a new country can be scary, it’s our mission to be a trusted friend and advocate helping you with your new journey. We share articles and videos from students just like you, as well as from our experienced staff members. Articles have tips, advice, and personal stories. ISV is also a great way to give students the opportunity to advocate their thoughts and opinions on issues effecting students while in a new country. We are always accepting new stories. Please visit us at www.isvmag.com to learn how to submit your story today. Thank you for your support and for reading International Student Voice Magazine!
Carrie Circosta Chief Editor ccircosta@internationalstudentvoice.org
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Follow Us On:
Cindy Orsorio - From Honduras to The USA, Education Lighting the Way
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Rohit Bhargava - Getting Started on the "Broken" Foot
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Mariano Garcia - A Lifetime of Cultural Adventure
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Eric James - Exploring Cuba Through Study Abroad
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Hellen Oti-Yaboah - Hey American Dream .. Give Me A Chance!
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Whats Inside? page 9
Feature
Naomi Tweddle - Taking The Road South: A Motorcylce Journey Canadian Naomi Tweddle decided to make a motorcylce trip across multiple countries. Read about her amazing journey inside!
From Honduras to the USA, Cindy Orsorio College of Lake County, Illinois
Cindy Orsorio worked as a translator in Honduras, barely making enough money to live and eat. But with the help of others and a passion for education, Cindy begins a new chapter in her life in the United States.
Education Lighting the Way
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Humble Beginnings
culture. I am closer to international students in the same classes. American students are not close and not friendly.” Cindy continues to explain the barrier between American and international students.”International students feel afraid of not being accepted,” Cindy said. “They feel they will offend others. Americans think you’re trying to get something. I have class with students from Iraq, Japan and China. It’s hard to meet Americans because of the language barrier and cultural barriers. International students though have a common goal.”
Cindy Orsorio grew up in the center of Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras lo- “They saw my spirit of wanting to go to cated in Central America. The country has a school,” Cindy explained. “I always wanted population of more than eight million people to be a bilingual school teacher.” and the country is most known for producing minerals, tropical fruit and most recently Understanding Life Inside and clothing. The economy continues to improve but at a very slow pace. The distribution of Outside of the Classroom wealth remains only with a few. Honduras is the sixth poorest and least developed coun- Now three years later Cindy is 22 years old try in Latin America, behind other countries and a new student for the Fall 2011 semessuch as Haiti and Nicaragua. ter at the College of Lake County in Illinois outside of Chicago. She is studying for her But this experience so far hasn’t discourGrowing up in Honduras I lived with my aunt associate’s degree in elementary education aged Cindy from getting involved around and uncle, my mom couldn’t raise and supand lives with the couple who sponsored campus. She is active in the international port me and she didn’t have a husband or her to get educated in the United States. club and participates in activities such as money,” Cindy said. “She had to do what is This is her first time outside of Honduras. fundraising and helping other international best. My aunt and uncle have been married students, such as buying books and helping for 38 years and have five kids, three boys “The first couple of weeks it felt like a dream,” students meet new people. and two daughters. I am the youngest. They Cindy shared. “I kept thinking I can’t believe believed in I’m here. real educaEverything tion, values is new, being a clean and priority. Be big. The responsible experiand educated. ence so far Care about has been others. Real overwhelmCatholic reliing, but I’m gious values.” learning new good After graduthings.” ating high school Cindy After three decided it months was time to Cindy conmove out tinues to try and start to to get the live on her hang out life own. At this inside and time she outside of began teachthe classing herself room. English from reading, “I’m trying to television and music. Cindy also started to understand how [professors] teach,” Cindy attend the Universidad Nacional Autonoma laughed. “When we come here they explain de Honduras for one year and worked at the how they score. Next Thursday, we have same time, but said the education system a quiz already? You don’t know what to in the country is not too good so she quit. expect.” Instead, she started working full time as a translator for a medical brigade company. And outside of the classroom it’s not any easier understanding what’s going on. “Life was difficult,” Cindy said. “I was working Cindy explained so far she doesn’t have to live and eat.” any real friends, especially not any Ameri“We also counsel other international can friends. students and make them feel o.k.,” Cindy One day while she was working Cindy met a explained. “They’re not the only one that couple from the United States working for the “Americans think we’re from another country, feels this way. Talking is the best way to get medical brigade. The couple was so taken so they can’t understand our cultures and over those things.” with Cindy and her drive to better herself, they don’t like us and they try to avoid they offered to be her sponsors so she could us,” Cindy explained. “It’s a cultural thing. travel to the United States to attend college. Everyone gets scared they won’t get the
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sick already due to the weather. It’s rainy and chilly.”
Advice and Plans After Graduation After finishing up her associates degree, Cindy plans to transfer to other universities to complete her bachelor’s and master’s. “After I’m done I plan to go back home and be a bilingual school teacher,” Cindy said. “When you have a U.S. degree, work opportunities are more. Other opportunities are also available if I’m not in education but still have a U.S. degree.” Cindy advises if you are an international student and you are starting to feel discouraged while studying in the U.S., she said do not give up. “Keep studying and keep going,” Cindy encouraged. “It’s hard to have a good life. When you feel homesick and lonely, don’t
Cars, Running Water and Weather: What a Shock While Cindy works to make friends, she is not missing the opportunities to dive into the American lifestyle. “I am amazed how big everything is!” Cindy exclaimed. “You start to love it and live as Americans. There is the shopping and supermarkets and malls. You can shop by yourself and charge everything. Back home you needed someone and there were long lines to buy one thing. You also put gas in the car by yourself, back home there are people to do that for you. Driving here the
streets are big and people drive fast! I’ve seen Corvettes, racing cars and limos.” But when asked about the biggest cultural shock since being in the states is something probably most Americans don’t think about on a daily basis. “Going to the bathroom!” Cindy laughed. “There is a shower and it always has hot water. You can wash like nothing. It’s the best part.” Cindy said she also appreciates the diversity so far as well. For example, she never saw people from India until she moved to the U.S.
The weather is also something Cindy continues to get used to, both hot and cold.
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“The weather at the end of July is so hot!” Cindy said. “Hotter than ever back home. “The color of the trees as the weather got colder is beautiful. I saw it before on TV, but now, it didn’t seem real. Like a fantasy. I got
Cindy Orsorio has several other experiences that she has shared with the ISV team. To read more of her adventures in American, visit the website or check out previous print issues!
“It’s such a big system, everything is real organized with different cultures,” Cindy said.
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drop out of school. Don’t give up. Express your feelings. It’s how you feel at the moment. It will bring relief at the moment.”
Getting Started On The "Right Foot" Rohit Bhargava University of Akron
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Rohit Bhargava from Bangalore, India didn’t have the best luck starting his education in the U.S. How about a broken foot throwing off your plans? Read the first of many vivid and colorful stories Rohit shares with ISV, we’re sure you can relate. Rohit Bhargava wrote the following article for International Student Voice. It is one of several submissions capturing his time studying in the United States.He graduated in 2008 with a degree in International Business from the University of Akron.
Applied, got accepted, got a scholarship, got my visa, now…shopping, great time with friends before you leave, get on the plane, pass through Immigration, land in the USA, get on with school… When you are ‘Me’, it isn’t quite that simple. Between the visa and rest of my plans, came the rear tire of a car! Confused? I was out shopping with my Mom and burning a hole in my wallet when a car decided that normal is boring, came the wrong way and ran over my foot! This happened five days before I was scheduled to leave for the US.
Amidst the screaming, the pain and a deep desire to kill the driver, I was thinking, “Is this a sign of things to come?” Many people told my Mom that since the scholarship and the admission could be deferred by a semester, I should just wait it out and not leave in ‘this condition’. My Mother, being the tough woman that she is, sat next to me and said, “It is just a broken leg! Yes, I am concerned about how you will get around, yes, it will hurt me to know that simple things such as taking a shower will be tough for you…but, I don’t want to set a precedent that you can run away from problems. It is the courage to continue that counts. Now, as far as I am concerned, I want you to embark on this journey. Now, you decide if you want to continue or not.” “Of course I am going!” Came the reply, straight from the heart. Yes, I had crossed the Rubicon and a few days later, I was at the Airport, amidst emotional goodbyes but not a single tear and ready to get onto the wheelchair that was arranged for me! Things went along smoothly and I was able to conveniently avoid the long queues courtesy the cast!
This is awesome; I should keep this cast as my ‘Essential Travel Partner’ screamed the naughty teen in me. Oh, it was about to get Interesting before I got to Ohio! The pressure in the plane caused my leg to swell up and it started pushing against cast to cause an excruciating pain which was temporarily subsided by a double shot of painkillers. Then I landed in Chicago and was wheel chaired to terminal number 30 from where I was supposed to get my connecting flight to Cleveland and the wheelchair was taken away. “Blah Blah Airlines Flight number XYZ from Chicago to Cleveland originally scheduled to depart from terminal number 30 will now leave from terminal number five! We apologize for the inconvenience caused” said the Airport announcer. Without a wheelchair, in a walking cast, the effect of the painkillers wearing off, the hesitance to ask for help and the foolhardy insides screaming “Come on dude, you can do this”, I dragged my luggage and my leg all the way to terminal five. As I was basking in glory of my Iron Man task, almost on cue, I heard, “Blah Blah Airlines Flight number XYZ from
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Chicago to Cleveland scheduled to depart from Terminal number five will now leave from terminal number 38! We apologize for the inconvenience caused” WHAT!?!?!? Alright, repeat of the earlier emotions and I was at terminal 38 and then I heard the Devil again (yes you are right…terminal number…14 and then…terminal number 28, then terminal number 3) and finally, terminal Number 30! The original terminal where I was dropped. Thank you Chicago, I am never supporting the Bulls again. Amidst the delays, I was craving for a coffee and something to eat. Now, coffee for me meant go to the coffee shop, order a coffee, get it, pay for it, get energized and get on with life. But in Starbucks land, there were 35 million options for coffee, another 20 million for addons and Tallwas the smallest size available! I had also watched American TV shows and always wanted eat a bagel. Don’t ask me why, but I just wanted to! Now, I saw the bagels and again there were a gazillion options for a simple bagel. And to add to my confused state of mind, the people in the line at the airport aren’t too high on the patience department. Just as I was about to leave the thought of ever having a coffee in this country, a wonderful young woman stepped up and asked in what felt like God’s words, “You look a little confused and stressed out, you need some help?” I told her that I just wanted a simple coffee and a bagel. She smiled and walked me through the entire process, got me my coffee and even taught me how to toast the bagel! She also helped me call my contact in Akron via a calling card which I couldn’t figure out earlier! My call helped calm down the nerves of my contact who was informed by the airline staff that I had cancelled my
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flight from Frankfurt to Chicago and thus wouldn’t be making it to Cleveland after all! Oh thank you airlines. After a six hour delay, the chauffeur from the company was there to pick me up and he said in words that I can NEVER forget, “I was never going back without you, no matter how long it took.” America, your hospitality has already won me over. He took me to a cozy suite at ‘Quaker Square’ in downtown Akron, told me order room service if I needed anything and it will be charged to the room. Too tired and hesitant to order anything, I just ate some of the snacks that I had brought from India and fell asleep. I took solace in the fact that the room that I will be staying in will have a TV, lots of space to move around, a gorgeous bathroom and room service. Oh yes, I thought that I, Mr. Royalty will be living in the hotel suite for my college life! That bubble burst when I was taken to my actual room which was in a basement, had little natural light, no air-conditioning, had a dungeon vibe about it and to make matters worse, my future roommate had left for his summer vacation in May without doing his dishes and had left raw fish outside to rot for three months. Hello Prince…Welcome to college life. Rohit’s Lessons In His Own Words
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1. The Quarter-25 Cents, but it doesn’t say anywhere that it is 25 Cents. 2. Dime is 10 cents and smaller than a nickel which is five cents. 3. Ordering a coffee is going to be a task. 4. There are nice as well as inconsiderate people in all shapes, sizes and colors.
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Taking the Road South A Motorcycle Journey Imagine: eight months of traveling on motorcycle through Canada, the U.S., Mexico, clear into South America. Canadian Naomi Tweddle made this incredible journey and captured every moment with her blog. Written by Naomi Tweddle for International Student Voice
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Even though this is such a clichĂŠ, I must confess that the first time myself and my partner, Alberto Lara, discussed doing a long distance motorcycle trip was while watching the TV show The Long Way Around. We've both always been the type of people that don't let obstacles stand in our way; we believe that we can achieve anything we decide to do. So we started learning about adventure travel and positioning ourselves to take a long trip. When the opportunity finally presented itself we cut our ties to normal life and hit the road.
That day was September 13th, 2010. Although our adventure started with a bang, when my father was involved in a serious vehicle accident not even 30km from our house (he was accompanying us for the United States leg of our journey) we returned to Canada after 8 months of travel fully intact. Our trip, however, was far from drama free. I suffered a collision with a horse in Mexico, we battled flooding in Panama and Colombia, and our engines blew up in Peru (resulting in a 6 week wait for our motorcycles to get repaired). Combine that with the insane border shenanigans throughout Latin America and the corrupt police encountered in many countries and we certainly had ourselves an adventure.
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We also, however, had a few good stories to tell. What I find the most appealing about adventure travel is getting to experience cultures and nature from a different perspective than most travelers. I am a motorcycle riding purist, so the emphasis for me on any motorbike trip is the riding. Riding a motorcycle is a unique experience in itself but traveling through a country on a motorcycle provides a completely different perspective compared with traditional methods of travel. Riding a motorcycle immerses one in the environment where you hear more noises, smell all the smells and see an uninterrupted panoramic view on the landscape. I feel like I am experiencing the real country. I find that riding a motorcycle provides more social opportunity to interact with people. Either because people are amazed by how you look and how your bike looks or because people ride their own motorcycles and are curious about yours. Riding a bike is a great icebreaker with local people. My favourite parts of the trip where those unique person-to-person interactions that put a smile on your face or those riding days where you knew that you would never be able to experience something similar back home. For me, that is what adventure riding is all about. Go full depth into Naomi’s journey, by visiting her blog: Trip Blog Trip Blog: http://nomi-beto-adventures. blogspot.com/
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A Lifetime of Cultural Adventures Mariano Garcia
Queens College
My name is Mariano L. Garcia and I am a resident of Astoria, New York. I am a recent graduate of Queens College. Throughout my married life in Akron, OH and NY, I’ve had my share of international experience, travel, and culture. In 2003 my wife and I participated in our first ‘Around the World Party’ at The University of Akron. The party was a gathering of different cultures from around the world in one night. Anything from New Zealand’s ‘Hakka’, to Japan’s ‘Sakura Blossom Dance’, to the Polish ‘Swan Dance’, to a Romanian folk song were presented. These events helped begin my interest in cultures from all around the world especially those in Japanese culture. I made friends from different nations that evening in celebration of the school’s culture tradition. In 2004 I visited my brother-in-law in British Columbia, Canada; a change of pace in an environment different than what I’m used to. The people and behavior were completely different than what I had been used to. Even though it was a short visit, people there were nice and respectable. In 2007 we went to Landeck, in Austria, then to Bucharest, Romania. This was the first time I had flown to another continent. Our first stop was in Heathrow, United Kingdom, where my wife and I spent a couple of hours sightseeing, while waiting for our flight In Austria, some students from around Europe came to do volunteer work to rebuild the roof of a hut in the Alps. Many of the volunteers did not share a common language but the work ethic spoke loudly of the comradeship. Afterwards went to Bucharest where I got to visit my in-laws and see where my wife grew up. The total amount of time for the whole trip was about
Born to travel” seems like the best way to describe Mario. If it’s visiting family or winning a trip to Japan, Mario has seen a variety of countries and places. Read about his cultural adventures and some tips on how to start your own journey.
Mario has moved around most of his life.Born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, at about three months old his family moved to Worcester, Massachusetts and then moved back to Puerto Rico when Mario was in the fourth grade. From there, it was moving to Orlando, Florida and then finally to the hometown in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania where he lived about 13 years. As you can probably guess, Mario didn’t stay put in one spot. It’s been a cultural adventure and Mario shares his experiences with International Student Voice.
2 weeks. Even though some of the parties that traveled didn’t understand much of the others given language, the experiences shared were memorable. In 2007 we moved from Ohio to New York with the help of friends. New York life has been like the internet ‘information superhighway’. After getting enrolled in a CUNY community college, making international friends became easier. In 2008 I was lucky enough to win a round-trip ticket to Japan. A Japanese Bookstore in Manhattan moved its store from Rockefeller Center to across the street from Byrant Park. Since they did a grand reopening, they offered a sweepstakes drawing and the first prize were business class tickets round trip to Japan. I placed my name and email in the box and by the end of the week they sent me a confirmation winner email. The start of my cultural journey, I finally got the chance to explore about Japanese culture first hand. The culture here is different than any I have ever been at before. Even the attitude there was completely serene. The people here are very humble and willing to help even a stranger from another country to get around. The feeling I got was that everything around me was neat,
clean and organized. There are no visible signs of cut throat competition, unlike the United States. The people are willing to go out of their way to help you in whatever you need done. In my experience and travels the places where we visited had people who respected your privacy, appreciated your company and asked questions about the others origins. We shared different ideals and customs, which would have never happened if we did not get a chance to hear about it from the international school clubs. People can find different opportunities by visiting new places, similar to the way I did. Making an effort to speak the language of the visiting country only makes the experience much more memorable. Also making new friends who can introduce new ideas and places where they have never seen before. 1. Where is your hometown/country? My hometown is in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. I have moved around most of my life. I was born in Rio Piedras Puerto Rico when I was about 3 to 4 months old, then moved to the states ‘til the end of the fourth grade. From Worcester Massachusetts went back to Puerto Rico, after about half a year moved to Orlando,
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Florida. Stayed a couple of months so I can finish the fifth grade then after that moved to Bethlehem PA. There I stayed roughly 13 years.
Yes We were part of the group
I first went to Gunma, North of Tokyo to visit my friend’s father, which was the first time I ever met him. He introduced me to his home, showed me around his area in the mountains. Plus helped me a little in my Japanese studies. Then I went to Kyoto to visit another friend whom we have not seen in 6 years. Then off to Tokyo for the rest of my stay. Then back to U.S :(. The taste of the food there was very fresh, simple foods that don’t take a lot of time to prepare. The service everywhere I went was very good, fast, and well mannered. You could smell like you were either close to the sea of close to the mountains. The food is in small portions to control everyones weight and appetite.
4. How did you win a round-trip ticket to Japan? (that’s awesome by the way!)
7. What was your favorite part of the trip in Japan and why?
The Japanese Bookstore KINOKUNIYA in Manhattan moved its store from Rockefeller Center to across the street from Byrant Park. Since they did a grand reopening, They offeredas a sweepstakes drawing and the first prize were Business class tickets roundtrip to Japan. I placed my name and email in the box. And by the end of the week they sent me a confirmation winner email. I needed to come into the store to claim it.
All my experiences in Japan were great. If I had to pick one. I would say it was my day trip to Amanohashidate in Tango Prefecture Japan. I left early morning to catch the local train to this area. I really needed to speak Japanese out there, because 5 stops after leaving Kyoto there are no more English signs. Everything is in Japanese and my level was way too low to comprehend it. As a memo, every town’s train station has signs of what the name of the town is, plus it has a blown up map of the area. So as the train moved to its next location, I pulled out my camera to take pictures of course. However it was crucial to take pictures of the signs. If I got lost I could use the pictures as cookie crumbs to find my way back if I was not going in the right direction. Thankfully we were going in the right direction.When we got there the scenery in the area is very nice lots of mountains and plenty of water to see. The food was exquisite, and cheap. A full course meal cost about 6 dollars to the most expensive 24 dollars. As my day was coming to a close I could have stayed there to see the night life. But I had to get back to the hotel back in Kyoto because local trains stop running at certain times. No sense in paying for two hotels. My train was third to last that was leaving the station. Because the area is secluded in the urban area, on
2. What is your degree and graduation year? I have a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies. I graduated this Spring 2011 3. When you talk about the students volunteering to rebuild the roof of a hut in the Alps, were you & your wife part of this group or did you just happen to meet them?
5. What was your first impression when you landed in Japan? I did not have too much of a culture shock, because I have studied and read how the culture is in Japan. Plus I knew enough of the Language to get around. The feeling i got was that everything around me was neat, clean and organized. Even the attitude there was completely serene. There is no visible signs of cut throat competition. Unlike here in the states. The people are willing to go out of their way to help you in whatever you need done. 6. What did you first see, smell, taste, etc.?
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the train schedule the next train would come every two hours depending on train traffic. So on the train I pulled out my trusty camera and scrolled back to the pictures of the stations i took earlier. I kept a watchful eye on which stations I have passed while on the train to make sure they were on my camera. It was about a four hour long trip to get back to Kyoto. The train kept its pace and we encountered all the stations that we passed by earlier.
How to start your own journey Learn as much as you can about your new country of residence. Do research regarding the holidays and common traditions. It will help you understand your neighbors, fellow students or co-workers. Mario studied Japanese culture because of his degree. But learning about a new culture or country doesn’t have to be your career. Find resources on how easy it is to learn about a new country. Take the initiative to make new friends. People don’t have to think alike or have the same beliefs to be friends. Mario traveled with students that couldn’t really even speak the same language. But he made the most of it. Add more. Be determined to avoid comparisons. Don’t expect life in the new country to be the same as in your native country. Make the most of your new situation. Find out how others cope with situations like hot or cold weather and sincerely attempt to enjoy life under different conditions. Mario talks about the differences and shares how he embraced it. Keep an open mind. Be willing to try new foods. Some foods you’ll like, and others you won’t. Find out which ones you enjoy so that you can have something to talk about on a social level. Attempt to embrace the new culture’s music. The sooner you become familiar with the new culture, the easier it’ll be for you to become part of it. Mario never made judgments, just observations about his travels and experiences. Learn the language. Not knowing a country’s language can create a barrier and make you feel isolated. Prevent culture shock by learning common idioms and expressions. Mario and Japanese. Resist the desire to judge others because you don’t understand them. Environmental factors He embraced differences.
Exploring Cuba Through Study Abroad Eric James
University of Pittsburgh Eric James brings us inside the country of Cuba, a forbidden country for U.S. Americans. Take a glance inside Cuba as a student and see how education can mend a relationship between two countries. For the past 50 years U.S. Americans could not travel legally to Cuba. For U.S. citizens, Cuba is a forbidden land rich in culture and history. Even though Cuba is only 60 miles away there has been no diplomatic relations between the two countries since 1961. U.S. companies can’t even do business in Cuba. You can safely assume you won’t see too many U.S. citizens in Cuba, but by few numbers that is slowly changing. This story shares the experience of Eric James, a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. But we’re getting slightly ahead. To fully appreciate the story we’re going to share with you about a U.S. student studying in Cuba, you need to know some history.
U.S. got Cuba from Spain at the end of the Spanish-American war. Cuba was its own country, but the U.S. would step in when necessary. From there Fidel Castro took over the Cuban government in 1959 and started to heavily tax American goods. President Kennedy said enough and issued an embargo. Cutting off supplies was a hard pill to swallow for Cubans. The U.S. had several failed attempts on Castro’s life and in October of 1962, U.S. spies saw the Soviet Union collecting missiles in Cuba. In case you don’t know, back then the U.S. and the Soviet Union were not the closest friends on the playground. This moment known infamously to many as the Cuban Missile Crisis. Imagine nearly two weeks of major world powers face-to-face, sweating it out, waiting to see if the other would spark a nuclear war. In the end, President Kennedy agreed to pull U.S. missiles from Turkey if Russia pulled missiles from Cuba.
Class in Session: A Short History Lesson If you snoozed away in your history class or never had the chance to learn about the broken relationship between these two countries, you also may not realize how big of a deal it was when President Barack Obama announced in April 2011 he would lift restrictions allowing Cuban Americans to visit the country.
But the issues didn’t stop there. Many Cubans fled the island for U.S. shores declaring political asylum due to the tough economic standards. Castro even released criminals and mental-hospital patients, up to 22,000 of them landing in Florida. Castro said going back home for them was not an option. If you are a fan of the movie Scarface (1983), you understand what we’re talking about. Main character Tony Montana was a prisoner in Cuba released for U.S. shores.
The history lesson can start when the
It wasn’t until Hurricane Michelle in 2001
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the U.S. started to supply food to Cuba and now is the country’s main food supplier. Fast forward to today with President Obama’s announcement of lifting travel restrictions for Cuban Americans, it seems things are inching to a better relationship between the countries. Exploring the Untouched: Eric James’ Story “I saw so much countryside, and I’ve never been to any high populated areas except for Pittsburgh or Washington D.C.,” James explained. “Havana has more than two million residents and all the activities going on around the hotel and the surrounding area. It was interesting to see so many people packed in one area.” The study abroad bug bit James clear back in high school when he started taking Spanish classes. Since then he knew he wanted to go to Cuba.
make it with hot water. It was actually kind of disgusting.” This just covered living conditions. James took classes at the University of Havana, one of the oldest universities in Latin America and in the Caribbean. He started off with a Spanish placement test and then signed up for four classes. Two were on campus and two off campus, one at the hotel he was staying. There wasn’t enough class room space to have all classes on campus. “It was always 80 or 90 degrees outside,” James said. “So being in the air conditioning at the hotel was nice.” His classes consisted of learning about Cuban films, music, history, arts, culture and the toughest class, Cuban Thought, a class he took with all Cuban students.
“They make the best cigars in the world,” James laughed. “I’m a cigar smoker. [But] I knew I would learn Spanish and immerse in the language and the culture.”
And that’s exactly what James experienced. Living in Cuba, James was equipped with minimal standards compared to the United States, but way more acceptable if you compare it to Cuba standards. James explained he stayed in a small hotel of 20 rooms. There was a micofridge, air conditioning, drinkable running water and a television with U.S. based channels. And culture shock? “Cuba is considered a third world country and everything we have in the [U.S.] is taken for granted,” James said. “For example, internet access is limited and you have to pay a lot. Calling home was definitely a hard thing to do. I found some expensive pre-paid cards for $20.00 (U.S.) and it lasted about seven minutes. We have so many amenities [in the U.S.] that they don’t have at all. You don’t go into a grocery store and find gallons of milk in the coolers. All they have is powdered milk and you
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But James explained when he would speak with Cubans, they were preoccupied with something else. “As soon as you told them you were an American in Cuba, they thought you were a tourist and they tried to get money off of you because they think Americans are loaded with money,” James said. “Most students are from Europe or Canada. I had to explain I was studying and I wasn’t a tourist. I had several people come up to me planning to be friends or saying we met before and asking for money.” When looking back, James said he regrets not going out as much and not getting to see as much of the culture. “I want to get back to Cuba as soon as possible and do all the things I missed,” James expressed.
It was James’ senior year at the University of Pittsburgh Johnston when he learned about the study abroad program offered in Cuba. “I didn’t really consider other countries,” James said. “I’ve stayed in Mexico briefly, but I wanted to go somewhere new and Cuba is off limits for many Americans and I knew I was going somewhere where there wouldn’t be any cultural obstructions with U.S. businesses. It was interesting to see a country not influenced by U.S. culture.”
eton. “We were spread out throughout the city and didn’t have much communication though. As far as meeting Cuban students, I had few conversations with them. I did meet some local Cubans and still keep in touch, one on Facebook.”
If you are a U.S. American student thinking about studying abroad in a country where English is not the first language, James said go for it.
“I was actually kind of lost because they were so far ahead in the coursework,” James shared. “They had taken the course progressively over four years and I was playing catch up. The Cuban accent is very fast and hard to understand. I was constantly asking to repeat and trying to understand what they were saying.” If that wasn’t the worst of it, James also had one added pressure to his language barrier. He had to work harder to prove himself. “I was told by the one professor that accompanied us on the trip he had to actually convince the University of Havana for me to come along because my GPA wasn’t high enough,” James explained. Another obstacle that many students think is easy, but in reality a challenge is making friends. “I became friendly with the American students in my group,” James said. Those students included peers from New York University, University of Alabama and Princ-
“The best thing is to go into the situation with a completely open mind and don’t have any pre-judgments,” James advised. “Regardless of major or academic plan I recommend studying abroad. It really opens your mind and helps you think about things from another perspective. It’s the best thing I did in college. I got a feel of what life is like in Cuba.” Life After Cuba James graduated in April 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in humanities degree. Just like many recent grads, James is on the job hunt. “Definitely studying abroad opened my eyes,” James expressed. “I would want to work at a university or a company helping facilitate students going abroad. My passion is to help students experience what I experienced and seeing more places over the world.” To learn more about how you can support U.S. Americans traveling to Cuba and to keep up on the latest updates regarding developments in Cuba, International Student Voice recommends visting opencuba.org, thehavananote.com, and the NAFSA blog!
Hey American Dream -
Give Me a Chance! How attainable is the “American Dream”? Nobody didn’t say anything about OPTs, working visas and how to get sponsored by a U.S. company. If you’re thinking about staying in the U.S. after graduation, you can’t miss reading Hellen’s article on the next page to learn some quick lessons about the immigration process.
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I
It is nothing new to hear someone migrate to the United States with the hope of “living the American Dream” or trying to get to the greener pastures on the other side of the bridge. Once in while we hear of an inspirational story from someone who has been able to beat all the odds of traveling into a new country to make ends meet, then it gives hope to others who are struggling to make it. Many international students just like other immigrants, may travel abroad to the United States not to just study, but also with the hope of making a better living some day in the States. I always thought that my case would be different, that since I had education I would
of the type of the formal training or education that you have. Before I go on to explain some of the challenges that an international student may go through after getting a degree in the United States, I will like to say that, this article is not to discourage anyone from trying to reach their goals. It only to make you aware of how difficult it can be to trying to “beat the system.” As an international student provided that one stays in status after graduation, there is the option of applying for Optical Practical Training (OPT) which allows the student to work for about a year in the United States with any employer that they so choose. Students with majors that fulfill the STEM
easily escape the troubles of an immigrant. Little did I know that trying to make it in a foreign land can be challenging regardless
fields which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math have the option of extending their OPT to about 17 months.
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The option to work in the United States after graduation, sounded just perfect since I wanted to gain experience working here for a number of years. So just like everyone else who sets out to find a job, I started filling out applications online and sending my resume out. My professor from my internship class advised us that it was important for us to start our job search early if we wanted to be employed immediately after school. I followed his advice and I started sending out applications about two months before graduation. My efforts were rewarded as I was able to get a phone interview with a company close by, and a face to face interview with a firm in New Jersey. As with many recent graduands I did not get the first few jobs that I interviewed for. However, since I had my interview scheduled and I was pretty confident, or at least I had the hope that I could get a job on my first try, I scheduled my OPT to start the day after graduation. Which meant that my clock started ticking the day after I was done smiling for my graduation pictures and celebrating with my family and friends. I was still optimistic about my job prospects in the U.S especially since I was a business major. I kept applying jobs and I got some interviews, but I still did not get a job. Then I started questioning myself. I wondered if I was doing the wrong things during interviews, if I did not sound convincing enough, or perhaps if my resume did not look good. So went back and I tried to do my homework, rewriting my resume, letting the career center at my school help. Then, preparing every way that I could to make sure that the next time I had an interview I was ready. Funny enough, when I was “ready” to go for any interview I stopped getting interviews although I was filling out applications all day. Until one day I got an email scheduling a
phone interview with a firm located at King of Prussia, PA . I was ecstatic! I prepared for my phone interview really excited about the possibility of finally getting a job. I believe I did well during my interview up until the end of the interview, when the interviewer asked me the question “what is your status is the United States.” I gladly replied; “ I am an F-1 student with a work permit to work in the U.S for a year. Then they asked; “will the company need to sponsor you after the year?” I replied; “yes, they will have to if they want to keep me on afterward but for now, I have a work permit.” The interviewer ended the conversation right after I had said this and told me that they would be getting back to me in a few days. About 5 minutes later, I got an email from the interviewer saying that the company could not sponsor me. I had never thought about the fact that I would face a big obstacle finding a job because company’s may not want to sponsor international students who had their OPT for an H-1B work visa. Everything started falling in place after that phone call. I had answered yes
to the question that appeared on many job applications that asked “will you now or in the future require sponsorship?” I had not been getting job interviews because many companies automatically eliminated candidates like me just by answering yes. A few weeks later I got some automated emails saying that I could not be considered further for some positions that I had applied to because they could not offer sponsorship. I realized that all that I could do was to apply and hope that one of the firms that apply to will be willing to at least
give me a try for one year. It’s August now as write this, about three months since I graduated, and three months that I should have been using my OPT. I still haven’t found a job that is willing to sponsor me, or that will allow me to work for the duration of my OPT. I took the initiative to apply for an unpaid marketing internship to gain experience in the meantime rather than brooding over my current situation. I will like to entreat anyone in a similar situation not to give up and stay positive (although it may be tough). Remember that, as an international student trying to find a job you may have to apply to 10x more jobs, and hope 100x much more that one employer decides to look beyond the paperwork of sponsoring a foreign worker. Hellen currently interns at Arcadia University in the College of Global Studies and works as a marketing/public relations consultant on the side. She is still looking for a U.S. company to sponsor her working visa. Have a story similar to Hellen's? Share it on our website at www.ISVmag.com. You can also discuss the article on our facebook or twitter pages!
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Read more of our issues at www.isvmag.com! Some of our featured articles include . . . Chelcie Cusumano A Semester @ Sea: 11 countries in 105 Days
March/April Featured Article
Abbie Morneault January Featured Article
Alex Acosta & Kira Blome “I Date Someone From February Featured Article Another Country!”
The beginning of an African adventure