Why Can Being an International Student Difficult - Essay Sample

An international student refers to a person that is enrolled for credit at an education institution that is accredited for higher education. Upon enrollment, there are a number of challenges that come forth; to be enrolled to become an international student is very difficult. Being international student is subject to challenges such as integrating problems, feeling homesick, language, family worries, finances, and culture shock. Of the many difficulties that international students face, culture shock comes out as the most distinct one.

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Culture shock refers to the emotional and physical discomfort that is suffered when an international student relocates to reside in a different country or geographical region that is dissimilar from their home of birth (Heine, 2015). Whats more, there are five phases to ethos shock or stress; these includes celebratory stage, unfriendliness stage, change, family stage, and converse shock which is also known as reverse culture shock. The symptoms and indications of culture shock include sadness/loneliness; disturbed sleep patterns; aches, pains and general worry about health; mood changes (hopelessness, temperament swings, irritability, and anger); feelings of paranoia; reduced abilities and lack of confidence; and the unwillingness to interact with other students around campus. It is commendable that if a student goes through the above-mentioned difficulties, he or she does not pause to seek counseling services so that help is accorded (King & Raghuram, 2013).

Culture resonates with language differences. International students may find it difficult to effectively communicate with other students at the onset of their stay. Difficulties in language and accents bring about such problems. Language differences act as the proponent of linguistic barriers and make it very challenging for international students to understand other students and the lecturer. In such cases, experts advise that students tell of their difficulties so that they can be assisted.

As above mentioned, there are other problems that follow culture shock; homesickness, for instance, comes about because in a new country one has to make new friends. It is advisable that one that, a lot can happen in the next country with respect to making friends and hanging out with kind strangers; this is very helpful in most instances.

It is worth mentioning that keeping track of finances, be it savings or earnings, has proven to be another complicated affair that international students ought to concentrate on. There have been myriad cases where international students have a Funds Transfer Scheme that predisposes them to money every month; all the same such students find themselves in debt. In the event that any given student has heaps of money in their accounts, it would be better if they keep records of any wasteful expenditure and attempt to bring them to a low (McFarlin & Sweeney, 2014).

Homesickness and family worries have also come out as a very serious problem among international students. To address the challenge of homesickness, students ought to travel to their home countries every once in a while such that homesickness is alleviated. Psychologists purport that the homesickness experienced comes as a result of problems integrating that is, fitting into respective cultures.

In a nutshell, it is never easy to be an international student; a lot of challenges come with being one. Perhaps it is for this reason that e-learning that is, online learning has become very popular. It requires boldness and hard work for one to be an international student.

References

Heine, S. J. (2015). Cultural Psychology: Third International Student Edition. WW Norton & Company.

King, R., & Raghuram, P. (2013). International student migration: mapping the field and new research agendas. Population, Space and Place, 19(2), 127-137.

McFarlin, D., & Sweeney, P. D. (2014). International Management: Strategic Opportunities & Cultural Challenges. Routledge.