Revising Essays for Support Problems of a Foreign Student 1 1 About ten months ago I decided to leave my native country and come to the United States to study. 2 When I got here, I suddenly turned into someone labeled “foreign student.” 3 A foreign student, I discovered, has problems. 4 Whether from Japan, like me, or from some other country, a foreign student has to work twice as hard as Americans do to succeed in college. 2 5 First of all, there is the language problem. 6 American students have the advantage of comprehending English without working at it. 7 But even they complain that some professors talk too fast, mumble, or use big words. 8 As a result, they can't take notes fast enough to keep up, or they misunderstand what was said. 9 Now consider my situation. 10 I'm trying to cope with a language that is probably one of the hardest in the world to learn. 11 Dozens of English slang phrases—“mess around,” “hassle,” “get into”—were totally new to me. 12 Other language problems gave me trouble, too. 3 13 Another problem I face has to do with being a stranger to American culture. 14 For instance, the academic world is much different in Japan. 15 In the United States, instructors seem to treat students as equals. 16 Many classes are informal, and the relationship between instructor and student is friendly; in fact, students call some instructors by their first names. 17 In Japan, however, the instructor-student relationship is different. 18 Lectures, too, are more formal, and students show respect by listening quietly and paying attention at all times. 19 This more casual atmosphere occasionally makes me feel uncomfortable in class. 4 20 Perhaps the most difficult problem I face is social. 21 American students may have some trouble making new friends or may feel lonely at times. 22 However, they usually manage to find other people with the same background, interests, or goals. 23 It is twice as hard to make friends, though, if a person has trouble making the small talk that can lead to a relationship. 24 I find it difficult to become friends with other students because I don't understand some aspects of American life. 25 Students would rather talk to someone who is familiar with these things. 5 26 Despite all the challenges that I, as a foreign student, have to overcome, I wouldn't give up this chance to go to school in the United States. 27 Each day, the problems seem a little bit less overwhelming. 28 Like a little child who is finally learning to read, write, and make sense of things, I am starting to enjoy my experience of discovering a brand-new world.