REASONS FOR STUDYING IN THE US AND OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Introducing Timy Paul Lupe from the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Here's a story on his experiences preparing to study, studying, and living in the United States. As someone whose parents had studied in the U.S., I was inspired to follow a similar path. While the prospect of advanced technology and extracurricular activities was enticing, I faced some obstacles but was persistent. One of the biggest challenges was meeting the school transcript requirements, which involved converting French documents to English and obtaining approval from the U.S. Embassy. The process was time-consuming and required patience, as paper submissions were often necessary. Even with my parents' knowledge of English, I had to put in extra effort to learn academic vocabulary and prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Listening to music and news and watching movies were helpful ways to improve my language skills.

My parents told me a lot about the United States, and I went to church, so my community helped me understand sarcasm. That was new to me.

The differences were the food caring, where students can study without being hungry. In the Congo many students are studying and are also hungry and need to do better academically. The teachers unions decide what can be improved, and in the Congo, there is a teacher's union, but they struggle. The other thing here inthe USA is that politics can plaay a part in what can betaught.