My first 2 months in State College

My first 2 months here were interesting. I came on the 22nd of June 2021, and today is the 7th of September, 2021, I don’t understand how time passes so fast. How can I start talking about something that I have no idea how’s happening, I think I’m not conscious of how far I’ve come and how the experiences I’m living are the stories I’m going to tell my grandchildren. I’m in college, in another country, without my friends and family, I’m alone. Well, sometimes it feels the opposite, I can say it’s the least alone I’ve ever felt in my life. I still do not understand how  I’m sleeping in the same room as someone I’ve never met before coming here, talking to people from all over the world, people like me, afraid of what’s happening, and excited about the future.

I’m going to start talking about real experiences now. I’ve met so many nice people, I even think I met my new best friend, Paige. I’m so thankful for having met someone so different from me but that I can relate to a lot. My mom was nervous when I came here because she thought I would have no friends and now she calls me every day to make sure I’m still talking to Paige, and they both talk, well, she tries, none of my parents speak English.

I need to be honest, I miss Ecuadorian food so much, food here is just not it. My friends tell me it’s just college food, but even restaurants do not fulfill my expectations. I miss a good encebollado, Arroz con menestra, ceviche, I’m sure none of the people reading this know what those words mean but it’s okay, you should try it though. I miss the good Korean food too, when my dad used to wake me up at 6:00 in the morning just to eat with him, I miss that so much.

College life is hard, everyone is studying all the time, including me, and it can get exhausting to have to socialize every day, so I’ve created a space for me to go and relax without people or work, just me and a book. However, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m so thankful for the life I’m living right now, I think I’m going to remember it forever. I’m proud of myself, not everyone can be independent living in a different country at this young age. Hopefully, I’ll make it till the end and can share my story with friends, family, and pretty much everyone interested in how a mixed Ecuadorian-Korean girl got to live alone and go to college in State College, Pennslyvania.