Problems of Internationa Students

Living in another country is very hard because of differences in culture, language, and many other differences between countries. International students have to be used to a new environment, so they might feel uncomfortable and also have a lot of stresses. I especially have problems with the weather, food and communication in the U.S.
First of all, there is a big difference in the weather between my country: Japan, and the U.S. While Japan has four seasons and each season continues for about three months, the temperature in the U.S. is so flexible that I can’t see the turn points of each season clearly. For example, it’s amazing for me that leaves changed their colors just in a week and they were gone in another week. In Japan, they change more slowly than in the U.S. Moreover, the temperature from the end of summer to the beginning of winter is changeable, so I have to check the weather every day. It’s difficult to adjust myself to the weather that isn’t familiar for me even though I can get some information from magazines or tour guidebooks.
The difference of food is one of the biggest problems, since food shows its own culture. For example, the staple food in Japan is rice. Most food that people eat usually is flavored with Japanese style like soy sauce, the dried bonito(a kind of fish) and seaweed in spite of the fact that many western foods have come from foreign countries. Cafeterias in a university in the U.S. have some Japanese food (tofu and rice); however, they taste too oily, spicy or salty. In addition, there aren’t enough vegetables that I used to have because Japan has many it’s own vegetables. Also, I can’t eat some kinds of fish like mackerel and sardine which are common in Japan, for many states in the U.S. aren’t surrounded by the sea. It’s not easy to make Japanese food because of a lack of Japanese materials and higher costs compared to Japan. Changing the habits of taking food makes me feel stress and that influences my health; therefore, it’s necessary for me to take vitamin supplements everyday.
I also have a problem with communication in the U.S. since it’s necessary to speak English. I had a hard time to communicate in English especially for the first few weeks in the U.S. My English was so horrible that many people could understand me. It’s difficult to speak other language without taking a special education since young age or studying abroad. I studied English for more than 10 years, so I can understand the grammar and read sentences. However, I wasn't able to speak English well because there was no opportunity to speak English before I came to the U.S. Now it’s getting better, for several reasons. First, I am fortunate to have an American roommate who is conversant to other culture and has experiences of studying other languages, including Japanese. That helps me speak English a lot. Also, trying to join some activities in which I can see some Americans and many other country’s people is not only helpful for speaking English but also a good experience for me to know different cultures. These facts are making me develop my English. It’s important to take participate in new things and try to use English positively.
There are a lot of problems with living in another country. Yet, people can solve those problems if they keep trying, and they can adapt themselves to a new environment as though time goes by. Actually, I have found some solutions to each problem, even though these problems are still bothering me to some extent. It’s necessary for all international students to try to find a solution so that they can enjoy living in another country.