The United States has always been a popular study-abroad destination for international students. At the University of Florida, many international gators come from different countries to pursue their dreams. Studying abroad isn’t a simple decision and it often comes with many challenges that people may not have expected. I decided to interview Dora Apostolou and Puthirith Samnang from the Honors Program and share their journey and challenges of being international students.
Dora Apostolou — The Journey of Constantly Finding New Self
“Hi, my name is Dora Apostolou, and I’m from Greece.” For someone like me who is not a fan of interacting with new people, it is a little bit stressful to carry on a conversation. But Apostolou made it easier, her carefree attitude and bright smile relieved my anxiety the first time I talked to her. Apostolou grew up in Athens, Greece, one of the historical centers in the world. With her twin brother, they have explored Athens together since they were 12 and got to know the vibrant city very well. At the age of 17, Apostolou applied to United World College (UWC), a school that has 18 campuses over four continents in the world, educating over 10,000 students from more than 150 countries every year. “Then I got in! So I moved to Canada, West Coast, British Columbia — Vancouver Island. A very remote place. It was nothing like Athens, I got to breathe fresh air all the time.” I can say that studying in a different country was definitely challenging at the beginning. As a UWC student, I also had to move from Taiwan to Costa Rica, and there were far more challenges than just leaving home for a month to a summer camp. Unlike in Athens, Apostolou started doing things that she would never do back home. She would go kayaking, canoeing, sailing, camping, hiking, and so much more to just connect with nature. Apostolou looks very much like an outdoor person to me, so I was surprised when she told me she used to only go to cinemas and cafes in Athens. “I realize with every new place that you live in, you get to unlock a different side of yourself.” Here in Gainesville, Apostolou’s second new beginning, she misses nature in Canada, but simultaneously, she’s excited to unlock a new self.
After UWC, Apostolou decided to apply to universities in the U.S., a not very common and popular option among European students. Most of Apostolou’s European friends decided to take a gap year or study in Europe. “I was privileged enough to be able to go home and receive a good level of education, but I chose not to.” We both agree that UWC and the Davis Scholarship open a big door for us to study in the U.S., as we might not be able to afford the tuition without the funds. Apostolou applied and got accepted to multiple other prestigious universities but decided to come to UF because of the scholarships, the excellent civil engineering program, the enormous opportunities on campus, the big UWC community, and most importantly, having her elder sister studying at UF as well. “During the transition year, it’s vital to have someone while I’m getting used to this new beginning.” Having a support system is so important while adjusting to a new environment, especially for international students. Some are lucky enough like Apostolou to have families or friends here. Others tend to slowly build their social network and eventually find their place in this big swamp.
Despite having the experience of studying abroad, new challenges emerged as Apostolou moved to the U.S. Universities are more about individuality. People all have their schedules, and unlike in high school, you have to learn to focus on yourself. “I used to be scared to be on my own, and I think that stems from being a twin because I would always have someone with me.” For Apostolou, embracing individuality is a bittersweet kind of challenge. She is adjusting to face the stressful moments alone, but also enjoying her own company. “Coming from a super internationally aware community, it was also surprising for me when people didn’t know about things going on in the world, like the earthquake in Afghanistan.” As international students, we tend to know more about international issues that are happening thousands of miles away from the U.S. Some of those issues might not be concerning for the U.S., but we would continue bringing those topics to the table to raise global awareness.
For Apostolou, it’s vital to be part of the Honors Program, and the most important reason is the people. She thinks that when you’re surrounded by people who are ambitious, have their goals, respectful, and kind, you’re more motivated to pursue your own goal. “It makes me strive to become better.” Even though her new beginning just started two months ago, Apostolou seems prepared for the challenges ahead and she will continue her journey of embracing difficulties and finding a new self in Gainesville.
Puthirith Samnang — One Step Closer to My Dream
“Hi! I’m Puthirith. I’m from Cambodia.” If you’re having a bad day, you need to talk to Samnang. He has very positive energy and likes to cheer everyone up with his jokes and sometimes motivational quotes that only middle-aged people would say. Samnang grew up in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. During his high school in Cambodia, he woke up every day at 5:30 a.m. to get ready for school and went to English classes in the afternoon. “That’s my typical day. I definitely enjoyed my UWC experience more.” Samnang also went to study at UWC in Germany after graduating from high school in Cambodia. That was his “first new beginning,” when he had to face challenges such as cultural shock, sharing a room with people from different parts of the world, being independent, and so much more. Those experiences helped him to be prepared for his “second new beginning” here in Gainesville. “The things that hurt you in the past are unlikely to hurt you again. You just grew from it.” Now at UF, Samnang is studying architecture, something he has been interested in for a long time but never got a chance to learn. His sketchbook is full of amazing drawings of places he has been to before, and he is continuing to record what he sees with a pen and paper. “I’m putting lots of effort into the projects for my architecture courses, but I’m more than happy to invest time into doing things that I like.”
Samnang decided to come to UF for the architecture program. “I like the way I’m learning here. There are no right or wrong answers and essentially every step you take is part of the learning process.” Despite having very supportive professors and classmates in his architecture class, Samnang sometimes pushes himself too far for schoolwork and forgets to rest. “When I was in Germany, I chose the toughest subjects to learn. Now I manage my time well but I sometimes forget to self-care.” He is now trying to balance his academic life and personal life by taking movie breaks and hanging out with friends. Economic pressure is also a part of many international students’ daily struggles. Even though Samnang also receives scholarships, he has to buy the materials he needs every week for his architecture projects, which accumulates a significant amount of money. Many of us have encountered the guilty feeling of trying to be independent but needing to ask for money from our parents, especially when living in a country that’s generally more expensive than back home and having restrictions while finding a job as an international student.
When I asked Samnang what he misses the most back home, he immediately replied — family. He misses having dinner with his parents and his sister, which rarely happens after he and his sister started studying abroad. For many of us, we only go back home once a year, so we cherish every single moment we spend with our family and friends. Those moments help us recharge ourselves and be prepared for new challenges when we leave home again. Aside from family, Samnang doesn’t have much attachment to home, to Cambodia. “The politics in Cambodia is very complex and confusing. When I started studying abroad and received those global perspectives, I finally had the opportunity to know the truth, to know what the government has been trying to tell us and what is actually happening.” Samnang is grateful to be in an open community where he can talk about anything, and with his optimistic mindset, he is determined to pursue his dream as a gator who came from thousands of miles away.
UF PRISM 