Home Away From Home

by Aliyah Hinckley

International students provide diverse perspectives on the university experience. From navigating societal nuances to fostering cross-cultural friendships, these students forge connections that enrich, not only their own journeys, but the collective identity of the campus itself.

During the Spring 2024 semester there were 1,451 international students attending California State University, Northridge (CSUN). International students came from 95 different countries including Angola, Madagascar, Vietnam, Greece, Tunisia and many more.

International students can be under the F-1 visa for academic students, in which they are temporarily allowed to live in the United States as a full-time student. Students granted the J-1 visa for exchange visitors, are given a visa for specific educational exchange programs in which they conduct research, receive graduate medical education or training and more.

In the apartments on campus, international students live together. Living together has fostered friendships among the international students.

This setup is something that Honami Yamada, an international student from Japan majoring in cultural interaction, believes is beneficial. Although Yamada misses Japanese dishes from home, she enjoys the friendships she has created living in Saguara Hall.

“It’s really easy to be friends with other international students because we share the same situations, so we can help each other.” Yamada said.

International students speak other languages, especially their native country’s language. English is not their first language, so they sometimes have communication difficulty as they are still learning and improving English. That language barrier can be a challenge.

“During class, or talking with my friends, sometimes, I couldn’t get it, because they’re too fast or [saying] too many things,” Yamada said. “If they are my close friends or professor, I can say ‘What was that?’ I can ask again. But if they are not friends, or not close friends, or a bigger group, it’s hard to ask the same thing again.”