INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND ITS PRESSURE

How does it feel to be an international student and living alone in a foreign country? Let me introduce
myself. My name is Ma Ling or you can call me Aisyah. I am an international student in my university.
You will never understand how difficult study abroad unless you have experienced it. You will feel you
are alone and all the things around you are feeling alienated, shocking and wants to go home as soon as
possible. It is just because you are totally in the different environment from your homeland and
customs. Also, you are being far away from your beloved ones and it makes you get the tremendous
pressure in every aspect in your life in your new place. Those pressures conduct many problems which
you have to face it every day.

Firstly, language differences. I am from China and now I study at UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang,
Indonesia. I always hear everyone spoken in Indonesia or English, but mostly I hear their conversation in
Javanese. At the beginning, it was so strange for me. I could not understand what they were talking
about. And I lose my confident when I wanted to ask something to them. Also, they felt difficult when
they wanted to respond my question. I hate this kind of situation, but I still try to learn their language so
I can communicate with them.

Secondly, cuisine. Well, my mood depends on what food I eat. Mostly the cuisines here are spicy and I
don’t like spicy ones.