"Navigating a Complex World: Why Your Journey as an International Student Matters"

 As a foreign student contemplates a foreign education in the US these days, he or she may wonder if it’s even worth the trouble to face the social environment, visa troubles, and subsequent H1B uncertainty.

From where I’m sitting, countries stand to benefit a lot from more diverse populations, especially those of students. An increased talent quotient (as bad as brain drain is for India!), significant revenue generation, and increased cultural variety and exposure for a local population actually benefit both the immediate environments and cities of foreign students as well as the countries they temporarily reside in.

While local talent is robust, hosting foreign students allows a university, a city, and the entire country to have a higher talent quotient than may otherwise be present. This increased talent quotient fosters a sense of invention, innovation, and intellectualism – all traits that benefit any country or environment. Having a higher talent quotient also adds to a growing business environment and drives revenues due to more productivity and better quality of work. If we extrapolate this across all of the potential employers in the US, it’s not an insignificant factor.  

In the US alone, foreign students have a marked impact on revenue in the US through tuition and rent.  In 2022/2023, foreign students contributed $40.1 billion to the economy, during the COVID-19 pandemic, no less. That’s a very shiny and huge penny. It's certain that US colleges and universities benefit directly from the foreign populations they support, especially in states like New York, Texas, and California. The foreign remittance that goes back to students’ homes cannot be ignored either. The ability to get a “branded” education from the US often times leads to better job opportunities, better income for the student, and potentially life-changing trajectories for a family. If students are driving so much revenue just from rent and tuition (leave alone corporate revenue and benefits), it stands to say that allowing themselves to better their financial situations and support their families is a win-win situation.

The entire country also benefits from increased cultural variety and exposure. An increase in art forms, food varieties, music, and global perspectives helps lead local citizens to have a more global viewpoint and take a broader view of humanity and empathy than those who have less or no exposure. Exposure also helps a population to look past the natural human instinct to fear and “other” those who are different. The world is now thoroughly connected and having a tolerance and understanding of those different from oneself is vital to not only personal growth, but community and national growth as well.

As a student or any foreign resident, know that you still have a lot to contribute to the environment in America, even if it’s not a simple time right now. Put your best (your country) foot forward and shine, being the best you. Use this experience to question your own biases, examine if you, too, have room for growth. Life abroad can be challenging, and you may encounter difficult people. Don’t let fear stop you from pursuing your dreams and moving in a way that’s genuine to you. Lastly, I would encourage you not to lump all Americans into the hateful bucket. I know it’s easy to do, and if you engage with any media at all, it makes it seem as if the entire country feels and behaves like this; they don’t. Find the folks who gel with you and help you on your own personal growth journey.  Exposure to outsiders is critical for us to evolve as a species and continue to move towards a more enlightened and open mindset, and you, my dear foreign student, are a part of that. And that’s truly amazing, keep your head up.

Acculturis is here to support you as you build your tribe, and we believe deeply in the value that foreign students bring to the excellent city of Indianapolis. Come check us out for support in relocating to a university, settling down once you arrive, or having the support of a thriving international community and building friends. We got you.

 

“Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration” - Frank Herbert, Dune

Another blog from the Acculturis Desk. If you have or are an International student going to Indianapolis US to study, Acculturis provides college Student Services for International and domestic students. Check us out at: acculturis.us.

I’m not sure how many of this audience have read the Dune series. The blog title is paraphrased from the book series. Here’s the full quote if you are interested: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration.” Equally good and important, just too long for a blog title.

Pink elephants are much too cliché for this subject and not that interesting in the current climate we find ourselves in, so today, I want to discuss the lime green polka-dotted meerkat in the room: Fear. Specifically, the fear that is absolutely running rampant in the US around immigration, students, and Visa’s and how the media is not your friend.

Every time I pick up my phone, I see a new piece of bad news for International Students headed to the US. And that’s in India – I cannot imagine with the news looks like in the US. People’s educations, careers, and futures are casually being tossed around like toffees and trash. It must be a truly terrifying time for students who have put at least 12 years into preparing themselves to go for higher education abroad, only to have that possibility start looking like a far-away dream and not a possibility.

When I feel afraid, I get angry – really angry. After the anger fades, I turn very strategic; looking up data points, looking for loopholes or ways forward, or how to manage the damage if options don’t present themselves. I imagine that many students have spent long nights tossing and turning as their minds engage in mental gymnastics.

My college-aged daughter recently told me that everyone in the US is afraid – and I saw it too when I went home last time; they’re terrified. So why in the world are we all so afraid? 1. The most obvious answer to this (I see your eyes rolling from here!) is that it is a very uncertain and frightening time for everyone.  2. The media is actively working to scare you. Fight me, this is a fact. 3. When we have outcomes that have big stakes attached to them, anything threatening can feel scarier than small things.

Fear serves as a useful tool, evolutionarily, for us to sense when there’s something dangerous. However, our bodies sometimes lie or exaggerate; we feel things to be more dangerous than they actually are. Fear also tends to stop us from trying, expanding, and reaching higher. Coming to the US from a different country to study is indeed a very high goal to have – traveling and expanding in that way, in any country, for that matter.

So what do we do to control the fear that makes our hearts race as we consider a very unsettled future? Everyone will have his/her/their own strategies to managing fear, but here are some that we recommend:

1.      Be knowledgeable about Visas/OPT work/H1Bs/immigration issues through reputable agencies or your educational institution. The same way we don’t consult Dr. Google when we’re sick (or at least we shouldn’t), we also shouldn’t turn on the news, or worse read random “news” article pop ups on our phones. They’re over alarmist, not necessarily up-to-date, and meant to provoke a reaction, not give accurate information.

2.      Have a backup Plan. It may be your dream to go to school in the US for any number of reasons. If that is not possible, ensure you are actively working towards giving yourself other options. Yes, it might be disappointing in the short term, but unplanned twists and resulting altered paths in life can be wonderful.

3.      Continue to build your community and friends. Find others in your same or similar boats and maintain connections – they will tide you over in difficult times.

4.      Find agencies or helping resources you can plug into. Acculturis can’t make the US stop being scary or change the tide of political nonsense going on, but we can and do work on fostering cross-cultural communities and helping people with whatever issues they face as students.

5.      Reassure yourself that this, too, shall pass. Empires, political systems, public opinion – as many Midwestern Grandmothers have said for time immemorial, this too shall pass. Just because it looks bad now doesn’t mean that it will last forever.

6.      Pay no attention to the angry, old, orange man behind the curtain and work on yourself development. Seriously – it’s better to ignore the politicians and political environment altogether, aside from your Visa/immigration requirements. Your 20s are a time of intense personal growth and development, and no one can take that away except you. Be excellent and grow no matter what’s going on.

I hope this post helps alleviate some of your fears. It’s an uncertain time, but we shall persist and push through. Since today’s post was quote-heavy, please drop us a comment on your favourite quote or your best way to manage fear. Stay fearless, my friends.

 ~Becky~