Ten silly things I already miss about the U.S.

Having lived in a foreign country for almost an entire year leaves a mark in who you are, and as a consequence, there are innumerable experiences that are unforgettable. I miss every person that cared for me, every friend I made, I miss every day of my life at Susquehanna. Nonetheless, I am also blissful at home, catching up with everything I missed, seeing my friends and sharing stories, and kissing and hugging a lot—something so typical of my culture that I incredibly missed it. However, there were a few everyday things back in the U.S that made my life so easy that it's hard not to miss them right away. So here's a ranked list of those silly—but oh, incredibly useful—gadgets, services or customs that I really, really miss.

10. Respect of traffic rules

Here in Uruguay nobody seems to care about traffic signs, pedestrians, or other drivers for that matter. I've heard tons of stories about the Italians' bad-driving habits—well, we must have inherited them somehow. As a good friend of mine would say, stop signs become simple “stoptionals” where people only yield if they feel like doing so. Pedestrian crossings are more respected in smaller cities, but in a big city like Montevideo, you shouldn`t dare to cross one of them if you want to survive the walk. But that's not all—motorcycles and bicycles have taken the streets to themselves, neglecting traffic lights altogether and riding one-way streets in the opposite direction. Having driven in these conditions since I was a teenager, I immediately adapted, but I can't say I don't miss the strict organization of streets and highways alike, and the general respect that drivers have of traffic rules and other people— whether they`re on wheels or on foot.

9. Efficient online shopping

Pick the color, the model, and click—and you`re ready. And three days later it's in your house. With this method, I bought a camera, clothes, Latin foods, books, magazines, gadgets, presents, and more. It was so simple! Online shopping does exist in Uruguay, but in a country as small as the state of Washington, a three-day delivery seems hardly efficient, aside from the fact that only high end stores have online shopping.

8. Refills – especially iced tea!

Seriously? Can I have some more and not pay more for it? Forget it! Refilling wouldn't work out as a marketing strategy in Uruguay, since restaurants probably would lose money. I quickly got used to servers' starting you out with drinks and then filling them without asking every time they see the glass (almost) empty. I especially loved drinking iced tea, and my glass was never empty. To top it all, if I was on a budget, I could always drink water for free, which I can't do here. In spite of this, I was astonished when I met a friend for a typical merienda on my first days in Uruguay and the waiter announced that coffee, tea and milk could be refilled as many times as we wanted.

7. Doggie bags

It was completely normal to ask your server to put your leftovers in a container for you to take home when I was in the U.S. Here, however, asking for a doggie bag can be very badly viewed, even though the servings are huge, and you are unlikely to finish the whole plate.



6. Sunday brunch

Aww... I think about Sunday brunch with my friends, each of us contributing with something, or a late brunch after a night out in New York, Boston or Philly, or a touristy brunch tasting the typical flavors of a certain region, like when I went to New Orleans. Sunday brunch was always an excuse to catch up with friends, to have a great time, and to eat more than necessary. I have recreated part of those delicious brunches here at home, but I can't get the company I used to have or the thrill of eating a new brunch in a new city.

5. Bus schedules, screens and stop-requesting wires

Well, traveling is a part of my everyday life—I commute for a couple of hours each way to and from work. For this reason, I am more than familiar with the roads that the buses take, where I'm supposed to get off and at what time I'll arrive. Nevertheless, I find myself in trouble when I have to take a bus I've never been on. I would get easily lost weren't it for the driver's willingness to help me out. This was a lot easier when I was in the U.S., since in most of the places I visited, there was a schedule in every bus stop and on the bus, and there were screens to let you know what corner you were approaching, which made it a lot easier. On top of that, you could request the stop directly from your seat and get up once the bus had drawn to a stop, which was extremely useful when I had to see a certain landmark in order to find out the correct stop.

4. Debit cards and split checks

I got so used to paying with plastic that carrying cash seems now obsolete and even dangerous. I've tried to pay with a debit card several times, each with little success. If it's difficult just paying with a debit card, imagine trying to split a restaurant check! When I go out with my friends, we always end up making calculations and paying to the one who has the largest bill or the one who pays credit.

3. Public Restrooms

O.K. It's neither that every single place in the U.S. has spotless bathrooms for public use, nor that every bathroom in Uruguay is for private use. Here, malls have clean bathrooms. Most restaurants have decent ones too, but you can only use them if you eat there; same thing goes for cafes and the like. There's no Starbucks to go to just to use the bathroom without buying its coffee. So if you often feel like you're going in your pants, you'd better start learning to hold that soon. I remember stopping at a random cafe or store in most cities in the U.S. to use their bathrooms, but the good part was not only being able to use them—it was the accoutrement in them: paper seats and motion-activated taps, soap dispensers and hand dryers.

2. Wifi and power outlets

Oh, wifi, I miss you so! In my cellphone, on the bus, at restaurants and stores, everywhere!! As I mentioned before, I commute to work, and I use that time to work or study, for which I desperately need good Internet connection. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a connection whatsoever. For me, being connected all the time when I was in those northern lands was of great help: I used the Internet to get oriented when I was traveling, to stay in touch with my family, to read work emails while I was away, and for many other reasons. It was so easy that I got used to it immediately and I find it hard to live without it now, even though it sounds silly. Interesting as well was the possibility to plug your phone or computer wherever you were, from an airport departure lounge to a public restroom.

1. Prices! (Or, should I say, shopping!)

Thinking that a $30 pair of jeans or dress is expensive is a habit I need to drop A.S.A.P. I found my country extremely expensive after buying $10 tees and renting a hybrid luxury car for $80 a weekend. Shopping is one of the activities that I did often while I was living abroad that I won't be able to do as heavily for a while. Of course, I have also ranked things that I found back at home that I didn't find in the United States and probably wouldn't find anywhere else, but that is for another blog post. ;)

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

WASHINGTON — 

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.

STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)

U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.

Read the full story here. (January 2025)

US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)

A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.

Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.

Read the full story here. (December 2024)

Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health reaches out to international students by detailing the international student experience at the school.

Learn more about housing, life in Boston and more here.

BEIJING — 

China issued its first national action plan to build a "strong education nation" by 2035, which it said would help coordinate its education development, improve efficiencies in innovation and build a "strong country."

The plan, issued Sunday by the Communist Party's central committee and the State Council, aims to establish a "high quality education system" with accessibility and quality "among the best in the world."

The announcement was made after data on Friday showed China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the number of deaths outpacing a slight increase in births, and experts cautioning that the downturn will worsen in the coming years.

High childcare and education costs have been a key factor for many young Chinese opting out of having children, at a time when many face uncertainty over their job prospects amid sluggish economic growth.

"By 2035, an education power will be built," the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that China would explore gradually expanding the scope of free education, increase "high-quality" undergraduate enrolment, expand postgraduate education, and raise the proportion of doctoral students.

The plan aims to promote "healthy growth and all-round development of students," making sure primary and secondary school students have at least two hours of physical activity daily, to effectively control the myopia, or nearsightedness, and obesity rates.

"Popularizing" mental health education and establishing a national student mental health monitoring and early warning system would also be implemented, it said.

It also aims to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas to improve the operating conditions of small-scale rural schools and improve the care system for children with disabilities and those belonging to agricultural migrant populations.

The plan also aims to steadily increase the supply of kindergarten places and the accessibility of preschool education.

The Open Notebook, a site focusing on educating journalists who cover science, has complied a list of U.S. graduate program financial aid information for international students.

Read it here.