My Home 9,000 Miles Away From Home

Since I was young, I have heard many stories of the United States, its advanced technology, the modern healthcare system, and the vibrance of its culture. Growing up in Cambodia, this seemed like a dream that was far for me, but I was fueled by my ambition to pursue higher education in the land of endless possibilities. In my senior year of high school, the idea of studying in the U.S. became more than just a dream; it was what I was looking for. 

I wanted to go to a diverse country to learn from people from all walks of life, and to be part of a community filled with innovation and progress. At that time, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and embark on this journey and academic pursuit. When talking about change, I vividly remember a phrase that Young Sheldon spoke to his sister, Missy, on his graduation day, “Change can be scary, but I know it’s going to be fine because it is okay to be scared, we just have to do it anyway.” In choosing the U.S. as my destination for higher education, I knew that this journey would not be smooth but it would be worth it at the end of the day. It was not just about fulfilling an academic ambition, but it was about embracing a new way of life and every opportunity that came my way. 

Cambodia is a country rich in history and culture. I grew up in a small village in Siem Reap city. When I was 16, I flew for the first time alone to the U.S. Furthermore, it was a place I had dreamed of going to for many years. I do not know how to describe the feeling of leaving my beloved country, family, and friends to move to a new country and integrate into a new culture, far more than nine thousand miles away from home. 

During my first few weeks in the U.S., I experienced culture shock. For example, in Cambodia, we call teachers “teacher” but here they’re called Mr. and Mrs. combined with their last name, which sounds weird to me. I also felt homesick at that time because I had never been this far away from home before and I missed Khmer food (the foods of Cambodia), friends, and other places that I went to visit with my family, especially Angkor Wat Temple. I began high school soon after arriving, which I enjoyed. We had orientation and yearbook photos, and at this time, I had no idea what a yearbook was. 

I also struggled with the English language. Can you imagine studying everything in your second language? I never expected this before, everything seemed new to me. It felt like going back to kindergarten because I was unfamiliar with most of the vocabulary we used in class. I remember a moment in my English Literature class when my teachers used the words “Watch your mouth” to a group of students in my class. I took the Chromebook from my bookbag and went to the camera to look at my mouth. It sounds funny because it is an expression, but I never heard it before. I used many different tools to help me study English, including Google and the dictionary. Time passed, and I started adapting to the new learning environment and culture, but I still missed my home country. At that time, I tried my best to keep myself busy and read books to forget feeling homesick. 

A few months later, it was time for me to apply to universities. I applied to many different universities and got accepted by all of them, but I chose Arcadia University as my place to call home for the next four years. During the application process, I could see that Arcadia University has many resources for international students from a safe environment to academic support throughout the university journey. When I got here, I was very happy because everyone was friendly, and the professors understood that English is my second language. In the first semester of my freshman year, my English professor was very helpful in ensuring that I felt comfortable as a new student. Arcadia provided many lessons to me that I will never forget, including my relationship with my professors.