Leticia Aranyi- Emory and Henry College, Virginia, USA

Study USA programme 2022/23

“My study abroad year was an incredible experience that I will always be grateful for.”

New college, new country

Student life at Emory and Henry College (EHC) differed vastly to my experiences at Ulster University. EHC is a smaller university with only 1019 undergraduate students and an emphasis on participation within the school community which has resulted in a small but tight knit community on campus. This quickly became evident as everyone on campus was very friendly, welcoming and helpful.

I was quite shocked to find that culture shock would actually affect me on my year abroad as I always felt that the UK and USA were not that different. I soon realised that there were some major differences between the two countries in terms of customs, social norms and values, and I began to experience culture shock.

However, I made a conscious effort to attend all events hosted by the college as this allowed me to meet new people, many of whom were American, and soon I made plenty of friends and became more open to new experiences and perspectives. This way I was able to realise that our differences were not barriers but opportunities to broaden my understanding of the world and increase my cultural awareness.

Homesickness while abroad

I feel that during this year the most difficult challenge I had to face was homesickness. The combination of being such a long distance from home and in a different time zone made me miss my friends and family as soon as the novelty of a new place wore off and I settled into a less busy routine.

Once I began to feel homesick, I reached out to the other international students on campus which helped me greatly as I found that a lot of them were feeling the same way. We were able to talk about our home countries and our experience in America which helped us realise that although our countries were quite different this would be an excellent learning opportunity if we embrace and immerse ourselves in the culture.

Furthermore, the international department at my college was very helpful in overcoming homesickness as they hosted many events such as global street fairs which allowed both American and international students to learn about each other, grow closer as a community and feel more at home

Exploring the world around

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to explore Virginia but also travel outside of the state.

My college organised plenty of trips, for example, we went to Dollywood which is Dolly Parton’s incredible amusement park in Tennessee, and the International Department hosted a trip to Washington D.C. where we had the amazing opportunity to explore the diversity of D.C. through museums and see famous landmarks like the White House.

I was also able to visit friends in Pennsylvania and Ohio as well as organise a road trip with my friends where we explored Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

Advice

If you are considering studying abroad, push past the nerves and go for it. I promise, you will not regret taking this opportunity. During your study abroad make lots of friends, travel as much as possible and just make the most of your experience.