International Students Recap

Saudi Arabia has over 200 students studying at Michigan State University as of Fall 2013 according to a study by the Office for International Students and Scholars.
Two of those, are Freshmen Yaya Alshammari and Majed Abdullah.
Both came to MSU without knowing English and found that to be the hardest part of adjusting.

“When I came here I didn’t know English, and it was like hard to like talk to people here but they were like friendly and I can speak English well now," Alshammari said. 

Abdullah also said “I came here with no English at also I learned my whole English here. So it was hard to like communicate with them. Was the problem me or them and I couldn’t adjust in the beginning. Once I get to learn English it became easier." 

Internationals students also tend to think that American students are cold and don't accept them very willingly but Alshammari had a different experience. 

Alshammari said, “Yeah before I came here I thought that American people didn’t like international or that didn’t like speak English and when I came here I didn’t speak English but they were so so friendly with us and they helped us to improve our language and now I can speak English because uh them." 

One difference between the American education system and the Saudi education system according to Abdullah in American students are much more free to choose their area of study. 

Abdullah said that in Saudi Arabia students are handed a schedule and expected to follow it but in America students get to choose their own classes.