Members of AACC’s International Student Association club have said it can be hard to transition into the American educational system from a foreign school.

Members of the club come from countries like Ecuador, El Salvador, China, Korea, Chile, Spain and many others to live in Maryland and attend AACC.

ISA Vice President and former school teacher Fulan Li said schools are different in America. For example, the math taught to college students in America is similar to what she learned in middle school in her home country of China.

Second-year student Valentina Ojeda said it was hard for her to adapt at first to classes in America. In her home country of Ecuador, teachers would move from class to class. In America, she observed, students move to each class.

Ojeda said being an immigrant can be an advantage, largely because of her ability to speak two languages.

“I don’t like that [classes are] not in my first language, so everything is real[ly] hard, but now … I’m used to it,” Ojeda said. “I like it because I’m … getting good at my second language. At least I hope I’m getting good.”

Ojeda added she is more likely to make friends with other Latinos than with American students because it is easier for her to identify and make friends with people of her own race.
ISA President Yaru Ji said it is hard for international students to make friends because of language barriers and cultural differences.

Ji said she has always been interested in different places and cultures, so she and her parents decided America was the place where she should study.

Since Ji joined ISA, she has learned to communicate with different kinds of students, she said, and she has learned the habits, greetings and social dynamics of many different cultures.

Sophomore Adilila Diaz came to the U.S. to live with her mother because of poverty and violence in her country, El Salvador.

“I wasn’t really planning on coming here” Diaz said, “but after the time has passed, I got to like this country. I feel like there’s a lot of opportunities for people and it’s like a privilege for me to be here now.”

The tuition for immigrant students to attend AACC is $364 per credit- hour, according to AACC’s Public Relations and Marketing department.

As of February 2017, 180 international students were enrolled in classes at AACC, according to Laurie Farrell, assistant director of PR.

The club is open for students of all nationalities to join.