The typical day living in a country you were not born in is filled with some combination of frustration, confusion, accomplishment and wonder.
Small details become big challenges as you simply try to figure out why those kids across the street keep laughing at you, or why [insert random group of people here] are always so incredibly loud. As someone who wasn’t born in the United States, however, I have a different perspective on how to approach these uncomfortable situations.
After several experiences living in Asia, Europe and South America, my outlook on studying abroad has changed.
After years of living in the U.S., every day still feels like I walked onto Mars. Nevertheless, it is that feeling that makes boring experiences unique. When you’re living away from home, everything moves slower than it otherwise would, sort of like the explosive parts of a Michael Bay movie. You analyze a situation, you haphazardly find a solution and then it’s over forever — until the next day, when you have to deal with the same thing all over again.
Despite the spectacular disappointment of not being able to tell a shop clerk that you just want ketchup on your hot dog and not the interminable list of random objects that you just mispronounced, there is a moment when you realize you’re doing everything those people in the fancy movies do, but it doesn’t end after two hours.
There are not many feelings in the world better than realizing you’re living the stories you’ll probably exaggerate to your grandchildren someday.
The key is patience. Nothing will get you further than taking a deep breath when you feel like you are about to blow. For example, getting kicked in the shin by an otherwise adorable old Chinese lady on her way out of the Shanghai subway is a sure-fire way to send you over the edge. Understanding that perhaps you were in her way as she was en route to meet her grandchildren is the only way to make it through the day.
Only through this craziness can you understand what really unites our cultures. We may not outwardly look the same, but we might as well all have been cut from the same block. So while it may look impossible to see yourself living in any other place but College Station, take a look at the possibilities that our school offers and explore where your life can take you.
Do it for yourself and for your grandchildren — so they have something good to listen to.
Graphic by Frederica Shih