At Kean University, students come from all different parts of the world. Some are from a different state, county, or even country. For international students, they share their experiences with Kean and how they’ve gotten accustomed to a different culture. 

People decided to go to Kean for numerous reasons. For Canadian International Student Julia Vacca, she joined Kean for its volleyball program and for the experience of studying abroad. 

“Well, the United States and Canada are fairly similar," said Vacca. "I think one of the biggest culture shocks for me was the food and the people."

Getting used to a new place isn’t easy and many struggle when adapting to different cultural environments. Mexican International Student Daniela Gomez notices how different her life is in America.  

“Of course [it] is not easy changing your language, your habits and routines, especially when you are close to your family,” said Gomez. “Changing language takes out something different from you. It is not easy to express the same as in your native language, so a little part of you is missing.” 

Many find assimilation difficult when moving from one culture to another. Idunnuoluwa Adeniji, a transfer student from Nigeria, shares her perspective on how she’s assimilated here at Kean. 

“The level of my assimilation after a year is pretty decent. I learned that I can't embark on this journey alone and it's okay to stick with my culture whilst embracing the American culture,” said Adeniji. “This mindset has given me a sense of belonging and I am starting to make the most out of my journey as an international student.” 

While many are from all over the world, some students have lived here all their lives. At Kean University, there are many ways for students to learn while traveling to different countries. To learn more about international education, students are free to visit the Center for International Studies page on the Kean website.

No matter where students are from, they never forget their culture and who they are.