What It Means to Be an International Student?

Being an international student is more than studying in another country.

It means learning how to build a life in a place that once felt completely unfamiliar. It means learning a new way of communicating, adapting to a different education system, and sometimes trying to understand a culture that is not your own. But most importantly, it means slowly discovering who you are when everything around you is changing.

When I first came to the United States, I didn’t immediately feel like I belonged. Everything seemed different—from the classroom to the way people communicated with one another. Even simple things could feel unfamiliar. I had to learn how to speak up, make friends, and navigate a new environment while still holding on to the person I was before I arrived.

There were moments when I missed home. I missed the food, the language, the familiar streets, and the feeling of being surrounded by people who understood me without needing an explanation. Sometimes, I wondered whether I was becoming a different person by living so far away from where I grew up.

Over time, however, I realized that I didn’t have to choose between where I came from and where I was going.

I could be both.

I could bring my Vietnamese culture with me while creating a new life in America. I could speak English in the classroom and Vietnamese at home. I could dance on an American stage while wearing a Nón Lá and sharing a piece of my culture with the people watching. I could experience new traditions without letting go of my own.

Being an international student has taught me that identity is not always about choosing one place to belong. Sometimes, it is about carrying pieces of every place that has shaped you.

It has also taught me independence. Being far from home made me learn how to solve problems on my own, adapt when things didn’t go as planned, and become comfortable with uncertainty. I learned that growth doesn’t always happen when everything is easy. Sometimes, it happens when you are placed in an unfamiliar environment and have to find your own way forward.

My journey has not always been easy. There have been moments of loneliness, confusion, and self-doubt. But those moments have also pushed me to become more open-minded, resilient, and willing to step outside my comfort zone.

Now, when I think about being an international student, I don’t just think about the challenges of living abroad. I think about the opportunities it has given me—the chance to meet people from different backgrounds, see the world from different perspectives, and discover parts of myself that I may never have known otherwise.

Maybe the most meaningful part of being an international student is learning that home doesn’t have to be just one place.

Home can be the family I left behind.

Home can be the friends I have made along the way.

Home can be the dance studio where I found my confidence.

Home can be the communities I choose to serve.

And perhaps, home can also be the person I am still becoming.

Being an international student has taught me that I don’t have to leave one identity behind to create another. I can carry my past with me while continuing to grow into my future.

And as I continue this journey, I hope I will always remember where I started, appreciate how far I have come, and remain curious about where I will go next.