by Aldana Foigel
Aldana Foigel is a sophomore communication major with a minor in business. She is from Argentina and is currently a contributing writer for The Current.
When I was a little girl, I used to watch Disney movies and dream about visiting the U.S. one day. I wanted to go to Disneyland and meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse. I would never have imagined that my dream would actually become reality.
I have many passions in my life, and golf is one of them. I started playing when I was 10 years old, and the day that I began, my life changed forever. I traveled to a lot of countries to play in golf tournaments, including the U.S.
After playing various tournaments in the U.S., I got to know the American culture and how college works. In Argentina, we don’t have a system where you are able to study and be part of a team that competes at a national level at the same time. I knew that I wanted to pursue a college degree for sure, but I didn’t want to give up on golf. When I found out about the NCAA, I decided that moving to the U.S. might be a great opportunity.
At first, I could not imagine my life in any other place but Argentina. I was so scared to move away from my house, more than 5,000 miles away.
Not only was I moving to another country, but I would also have to speak in a different language. Back home, we speak Spanish, and although I studied English for more than eight years, I had never spent more than three consecutive hours speaking English.
Over a year ago, I arrived in the U.S. Everything felt so different and strange to me. Moving to the U.S. is not the same as playing tournaments for a few weeks and then going back home.
I did not know what to expect from college before I came. That is what scared me the most, but college gave me a good surprise.
My first month at college was the hardest one. My roommate, who is from England, and I cried a lot because of homesickness. We missed everything: our family, dogs, friends, house and even the sofa. However, we learned a lot from those tough days, and we became stronger people. We started to actually enjoy our “new life,” our life in the U.S.
Getting used to the educational system was not easy either. I did not understand my professors the first two weeks of school. I was not used to speaking in English all day, and it seemed to me that they talked so fast. However, after two months, everything was so much easier. English became part of my routine.
The opportunity to study abroad is awesome. Getting to know new cultures and new styles of life is what I like the most because interacting with people from different countries is so fascinating. Although it is sometimes hard to be away from home, it feels like NSU is my second home now. I am comfortable here, and this is definitely one of the best experiences of my life.
I am having an amazing time with the golf team, playing golf tournaments all around the U.S. I like getting to know many states and the similarities or differences between them.
Moving to another country is a very enriching experience. I have grown up so much since I moved to the U.S. I learned that every problem has a solution, and there is nothing better in life than experiencing new things. I still miss home sometimes, but I now think of it as a good feeling. I love my home and the people there, but I also love my life here. I am grateful for what I have.
