Life in the U.S.
What to expect
What should you expect from a year living and studying in a foreign country? Well, we can’t tell you exactly what to expect because your experience is going to be unique just as you are, but we can share with you some things that are commonly experienced.
Homesickness
No matter how old you are or how many times you have been away, you will probably still miss your home at some point. The best way to conquer homesickness is to keep busy. Don’t sit around in your room by yourself, get out and do something with other people. Join your host family in whatever they are doing, call up a classmate and go see a movie or get a pizza, attend a local event in your community or go to the mall. It doesn’t matter what you do, any kind of activity is likely to help take your mind off of home and ease your loneliness. The more you involve yourself in your new life, family and community, the more you will experience and gain from your time here and the less homesick you will feel.
Feelings of inadequacy
You are an adult and you are used to functioning and being treated as an adult in your home country. When you arrive in the U.S., you may be frustrated or even embarrassed if you are not able to express yourself in English as you would in your native tongue or if grocery shopping, cleaning the house or ordering food at a restaurant suddenly becomes difficult for you. This is completely normal. Try to relax and give yourself some time. If you if you don’t know a certain word or you have to ask how to use the washing machine, it’s okay. All of these things will become easier as time go by and as you adjust to your new surroundings.
New view of yourself and the world
Be prepared for your time in the U.S. to change you and your outlook on the world. You are going to be exposed to different ways of doing things, opinions and expectations. You will form relationships with people from many different backgrounds who will likely have different perspectives than you. It’s only natural that you and the way you look at the world will be affected by this. Embrace the differences, find the positive aspects and allow yourself to grow as a result of your experiences here. Know that you will not be the same person by the time you return home.
Lifelong memories and relationships
Your host family, classmates and teachers, maybe even neighbors: all of these people are going to play a big part in your life during your stay in the U.S. and will likely come to mean a great deal to you. These relationships may be ones that you maintain for the rest of your life. Even if you don’t end up staying in close touch with them, the time that you share together is sure to be happy memories for you to treasure long after you return home.
Whatever your expectations are and whatever your experiences end up being, the most valuable piece of advice we can give you is this: Do your best to keep an open mind, open heart and a positive attitude. With those three things in place, you are sure to have a fantastic experience here in the U.S.
School
You probably have some questions about what American colleges are like. That’s understandable considering you will be spending a great deal of time on campus while you are here. Below, we’ve provided some general information about colleges in the U.S.
A college school year in the U.S. begins in either August or September and ends the following September. They typically operate on one of the following calendar systems: quarter, semester or trimester. The quarter system divides the year into four equal sessions called quarters: fall, winter, spring and summer. Each quarter is about ten weeks long. The first three quarters make up a full year’s studies and the summer quarter is optional. The semester system divides the year into three unequal sessions called semesters: fall, spring and summer. The fall and spring semesters are each about 15 weeks long and together are a full year’s studies. The summer semester is usually shorter and is optional. Finally, the trimester system divides the year into three equal sessions called trimesters: fall, winter and spring. Each trimester is ten to eleven weeks long and all three trimesters together make up a full year of studies.
Whatever calendar schedule your college operates on, you will have breaks between sessions and may have additional holidays throughout the year as well. The time between sessions is set aside for you to take your final exams, register for your next session of classes, buy your books and get some much needed rest before returning to your studies.
You will have a variety of morning and afternoon weekday courses available to select from and there may be some evening or weekend courses available as well. What time your day begins and ends will be decided by you and the courses you select. Some classes will meet every week day for less than an hour; others will meet only a couple times a week and may be several hours long. Your college will have a schedule of courses and times available for each session and they will also have counselors available to help you select and register for the courses you need.
If you’re interested in sports, you will be happy to find that Americans value sports almost as much as academics so there is usually a good variety of options available. Basketball is one of the most common college sports but you will have opportunity to get involved in almost any sport or recreational activity, either on your campus or in your community (i.e. soccer, rugby, cheerleading, American football, bowling, golf, etc.).
You will also find many musical opportunities, both on campus and off. Colleges often have a choir and some may offer music theory or other technical music courses. While not every college will have an orchestra or a band that you can join, you are likely to find these in your community or a neighboring community. Talk to the choir/music director at your college for ideas of how you can get involved.
Community colleges may offer special events throughout the year as well (i.e. guest speakers, plays/musicals, concerts, international theme dinners, etc.). Your main focus will be academics, and rightly so, but college will be the main hub of your social life as well. There will be many clubs to become involved with, chances to run for campus leadership positions and opportunities to participate in community service projects, not to mention the many classmates and teachers you will befriend.
Policies
Although all of our policies and program rules are listed in your handbook, we would like to remind you of a few of them and talk about them in more detail.
- OBEY THE LAW
As a CETUSA program participant, we expect you to follow all local, state and federal laws while you are on program. Breaking any laws while you are here could have serious consequences for you. If you have any questions about what the local laws are, ask your host family or us; we’ll be happy to fill you in. If you’re not able to ask someone and you’re not sure it’s legal, don’t do it. - DRINKING
The legal drinking age in the U.S. is 21 and underage drinking is considered to be a crime. If you are caught drinking alcohol before you are 21, you will most likely be fined and may face additional consequences.
If you are 21, you may drink alcohol while you are on program. Please drink in moderation and be respectful of your host family and their views on alcohol. You must also obey the laws of the state that you are living in. If you are uncertain what the drinking laws are in your state, ask your host family or coordinator. - RELATIONSHIPS AND SEX
While you are on program, we encourage you to avoid romantic relationships. Why? Well, the main reason is because they can be a huge distraction. You are coming to the U.S. to study and to improve your English and knowledge of American culture, not to find a boyfriend or girlfriend. Plus, if you spend too much time with one person, your other relationships may suffer and you might miss out on a lot of great experiences. If you keep your relationships at the friendship level, you free yourself to experience and learn everything that you can while you are here.
Although we discourage romantic relationships during your program, we don’t forbid them. If you meet someone and the ‘sparks’ fly, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your program in any way (i.e. grades, relationship with host family, etc.), you are free to date them. If you choose to engage in a sexual relationship, it is your responsibility to do so discreetly and safely. Remember, overnight guests are not allowed while you are staying with your host family so inviting your boy/girl friend for a sleepover is not an option. - SMOKING
The legal age to purchase tobacco in the U.S. is 18. As long as you are 18 or older, you may smoke while on program. If you choose to smoke, please be respectful of those around you. Many people dislike the smell of cigarette smoke and some are even allergic to it. Please also keep in mind that you will not be allowed to smoke in your host family’s home unless they have given you permission to do so.
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