Ukrainian Student in an International Environment: Keeping an Open Mind While Studying in the US
With centers like America House exposing Ukrainian youth to American culture and values, some Ukrainians may become more and more intrigued by what life is actually like in the United States. Going abroad for secondary education or university in the U.S. is one option to do so. This is the story of Anatoliy, a second-year student from Sevastopol, Crimea who studies at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Photo: Macalester College
Maya: What was your path from Sevastopol to Saint Paul?
Anatoliy: In 2015, I realized that I wanted to study abroad, I realized that I didn’t want to be stuck in one place or one country. I went to high school in Costa Rica, at United World College, which is a two-year IB (International Baccalaureate) program. Apart from meeting a lot of new people and being in a completely different environment, I was able to learn a little Spanish and be in a country where I would never imagine myself being. Since this school was very academically rigorous, I was able to get an IB diploma, which was recognized by a lot of universities around the world, especially universities in the U.S. Macalester was one of my options when I was applying. Even though it was not one of my top options, it was one of the schools I really wanted to get into because it was located in a city. Throughout my whole life I always lived around the city or in the city, so I couldn’t imagine myself being somewhere else. Macalester was actually the first university that sent me an offer to study, and it was the best offer in terms of financial aid and the ranking of the university. So, during my last year of UWC I decided to study at Macalester and here I am.
Maya: What do you study at Macalester?
Anatoliy: I study International Studies, and I’m thinking of adding Computer Science as my second major. I’m not sure about my minor yet, but I’m thinking about languages, maybe Spanish.
Maya: Was moving to the U.S. a culture shock?
Anatoliy: Yeah, definitely. It was a huge culture shock. It was the first time that I felt like a minority, since everyone at my high school was from all over the world. Here, there are a lot of American students and not a lot of international students in general. So, it’s still very hard in terms of culture, since many things that people talk about I just don’t understand, because I had never been exposed to Western culture. So I think the cultural shock still continues as of today, even though I definitely have learned many things about the U.S and I’ve started to like it more. But still, the cultures of the U.S and Ukraine are very different.
Maya: Did you find it difficult to fit into or adjust to American culture at some point in college?
Anatoliy: Like I said, it's something that’s super complicated for me and I would like to adjust. At some point, I said maybe I should just go out and make a lot of American friends and I’ll realize what American culture is, but I realized that I prefer taking the best from this country in terms of its development and its economic opportunities while at the same time preserving my own culture and not trying to adjust to someone else’s.
Maya: What is your favorite thing about being a student at Macalester or in the US?
Anatoliy: I think just the amount of opportunities this place gives you, as well as the respect from professors. The people here, they encourage you to do your best. They don’t tell you what to do, they’d rather guide you towards your goals. I just really like this freedom and I think that’s the best part of being here.
Maya: Plans for the future?
Anatoliy: I don’t have an exact plan, I just really want to get my diploma. I think after university I’m planning on doing a Master’s.
Maya: Any tips for other young Ukrainians looking to study in the U.S.?
Anatoliy: Learn English and be open-minded about other people and other cultures. If you really really want to study abroad, it's not as hard as people think it is. Have some good extracurricular activities, a good mindset, and positive motivation, as well as people who can write a good recommendation for you. It also doesn't matter where you come from. A lot of people think that it's only available for those that live in the capital or in the big cities, and even though I come from a big city a lot of my friends come from small towns and villages. So it’s not that this is a limited opportunity available for those living in the cities. I think it’s for everyone.
Maya: Anything else you'd like to add?
Anatoliy: Hi to America House! I really wanted to come when I was in Kyiv, but it was closed on the day I could. I just want to come back to Kyiv, it’s a great place, I love it.
Maya Sobchuk is a third-year at Macalester College in Minnesota studying international law and international relations theory. She is from Kyiv, but grew up in Los Angeles, California. She has previously worked for the Kyiv Post, is the Web Editor for her college newspaper, and is involved with Ukrainian-American causes in Minnesota. Maya is particularly interested in the post-colonial space, multilateral diplomacy, and disinformation.