Around 40 students from across the globe call USF St. Petersburg their college home. Each came with different backgrounds and educational goals. But these international students also share a lot in common.
As November is International Education Month, we reached out to several of these students to hear their stories and lessons they have learned along the way.
Innara Basria – Hyderabad, Pakistan, 20 years old, junior majoring in Biology with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences
I came to the United States in my junior year of high school. My family moved to this country so that I could get a better education. I had family in New Port Richie, so we thought we would have a support system if we moved to Florida.
I chose USF because my dad wanted me to be nearby, and USF is a great school. It’s a top 50 research institute and I chose USFSP because it is a smaller campus.
What I find funny is that when people look at me they think I’m Indian, but I’m not. Pakistan and India are both South Asian countries, so I guess I understand. It can be a little intimidating being an international student, because when you are not from here, you think people are always looking at you. Sometimes when people are trying to be accommodating, it can feel like you stick out. But my experience with diversity on campus overall is very good. People here are very understanding.
I recommend that international students get very involved on campus. I’m a Resident Assistant. The more people I met, the more I had a sense of belonging. I have a sense of home here in St. Petersburg and on campus.
Febrizio Petrozzi – Lima, Peru, 19 years old, freshman majoring in Business Management
I decided to come to USF St. Petersburg to be near my girlfriend who is from St. Petersburg. We met in 2015 when I lived in Indonesia where my dad was working. When the time came to choose a university, I wanted to be near her. I first applied to USF in Tampa, but then I realized how big the campus was and how most of the classes were auditorium-sized, and I wanted a more personalized setting with smaller classes.
At first, I was not sure whether I should base my decision about where to go to college on where my girlfriend was. But now that I am positioning myself in the community through programs like the Chancellor’s Leadership Council, the International Club and the Innovation Scholars program, I feel good about my decision.
There are some confusing aspects to being an international student. For example, there are some things an international student can’t do. If I wanted to get a job off campus, I could not have one. To become an RA, I had to talk with my international advisor. That lack of freedom is annoying.
I like the city a lot, especially since the campus is so close to downtown. We are exposed to the art scene and walking distance to everything. During the week, I like to go downtown and hang out in the park by the water.
Michele Pitticco – Udine, Italy, 23 years old, graduate student majoring in Management Engineering
I am an exchange student from Udine, which is about one hour outside of Venice in the north of Italy. I like sports and I’ve played soccer all my life. I also like math and physics and that’s why I chose to study engineering.
I arrived here in August and will stay for one semester. I am taking classes in Leadership and Corporate Accountability, Organizational Behavior, Digital Marketing and Managerial Analysis. This is the third year that my university has sent exchange students to USF St. Petersburg.
I came to have a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s a unique opportunity to live in a different part of the world. American universities are completely different from Italian universities. It’s not just about having classes; there are a lot of services and events here too. People pay a lot to attend university, but not in Italy. Also, in Italy there are lectures where teachers speak and students take notes, while here classes are very interactive.
One difference between here and home is that here, people eat all day long. There is not a clear separation of meals. Also, the quality of food is better at home. One thing that I like is how the places you go downtown have bar and music and everything mixed. At home, a club and café and bar are all different places.
I miss family most but it’s very easy to communicate. One advice I would give to international students is to try to take advantage of the experience and travel a lot. We went to Orlando a couple of weeks ago and will go to Miami before we return home.
Homood Alromayan – Saudi Arabian descent, living in Mangaf City, Kuwait, 25 years old, junior majoring in Business Management
I wanted to get my degree in the United States and my mom really wanted me to have the experience to study abroad. I chose USF because I was able to get 100 percent of my tuition paid via the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission, which has a scholarship fund for Saudi citizens. With the scholarship, I was able to convince my parents to let me study outside of Kuwait. The program at Tampa specializes in Business Administration and Marketing, but I wanted to study Business Management so I came to USF St. Petersburg.
I’m trying to get used to the city and the campus itself. I really like the city, but I need to build relations with people and make friends. I don’t know many people.
The first time I came to the United States was in 2014, so now I am pretty comfortable living here. There are some cultural differences, but they are not huge. People are mostly nice and they greet you in a nice way. The only issue I find in classes is the lack of teamwork. Instructors explain the material and there is relationship between the students and the teacher but not between students.
If things work out, I am interested in getting a master’s and I want to eventually get a job in the private sector. I feel like I am getting older and I need to decide what I will do.
Maria Novoa Pinzon – Bogota, Colombia, 22 years old, junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in Leadership Studies
Since I have relatives in Florida, my parents wanted me to come here to study English for a year. My cousins went to St. Petersburg College and that’s why I went there and eventually got my AA. Then, my parents told me to stay here because the situation in Colombia is not the best.
When I finished my AA in 2018 toward psychology, I did my OPT [optional practical training], which is a 12-month work authorization to work related to your field of study. I worked in Clearwater High School as a bilingual assistant in the ESOL department. During that time, I applied to USFSP and just started this semester. Now I work on campus in the Office of Global Initiatives as a student assistant and I am also the Vice President of the International Club.
It was hard my first couple of years. I was very shy because of my English and accent. However, when I started working with other students, I started socializing more and meeting other international students. As I began to have more activities and responsibilities here, I was not able to visit Colombia as much. That was the hardest part because I was not able to see my family as often.
I have a phrase I think about all the time “If not me, who? If not now, when?” from Emma Watson. I would encourage other international students to become part of the community and to network and grow personally and professionally. There are issues sometimes when you are in another country. For example, I have felt discriminated against a couple of times, but it wasn’t direct. Sometimes I don’t know the formal English and so is hard to be polite according to the culture. One person on the phone recently thought I was being rude but I just didn’t know how to speak politely. Also, Americans are less expressive or affectionate. I am very extroverted and is hard to get used to this culture. Although these are some things I have faced, I respect and appreciate everything I have learned here. People are very friendly and I have learned something from each American.
I want to do my master’s in another country or state. I would like to work in organizational psychology or to work helping young adults with their leadership skills and to grow as people.