When Shaista Saddique first came to California State University, Bakersfield in January for the spring semester, she experienced a bit of culture shock.
Saddique, who lives in Pakistan, was not used to being out on her own without a chaperone or staying in a co-ed dorm before coming to CSUB as part of the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGRAD), funded by the U.S. State Department.
“Our culture is pretty different from the culture here in the U.S. It’s like a different world,” she said. “It was little uncomfortable at first, but I’m getting used to the culture here.”
Saddique was one of 138 Pakistani college students chosen by the nonprofit organization IREX for a scholarship to participate in an exchange to the U.S. this spring. She is a junior pursuing a physics degree at the Islamia University of Bahawalpur in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
As part of the program, she receives a monthly stipend that covers tuition, textbooks, on-campus housing and any other needs.
“This is a really great program,” Saddique said. “I am learning a lot of things in the classes and having a good experience here. I’m interacting with a lot of different people who have been very welcoming. I didn’t think people would be so friendly. Wherever I go, people are really helpful.”
Yuri Sakamaki, director of the study abroad and Fulbright programs at CSUB, said it is always great to have international students on campus.
“Our campus is very supportive of international students,” she said. “Not every CSUB student gets to study abroad, so it provides a great opportunity for those students to talk to international students and develop friendships with them. They also help bring more diversity on campus.”
Saddique said she knew coming to the U.S. as part of an exchange program would be a significant undertaking. Prior to the program, she had never been to the country before and neither has any of her family.
However, exploring the U.S. has been a major life goal for her, so she decided to apply for the program.
“I want to improve my education skills and experience the culture and education system here,” she said. “I would like to come to the U.S. to get my master’s and doctorate, but I wanted to experience [America] before I do that.”
When not busy with classes, Saddique has taken any opportunity she can to travel around the state and would also like to visit other states as well to get a full sense of the American culture, something that Sakamaki said is a priority for a lot of exchange students and is a pillar of the exchange program.
“UGRAD is really about the cross-cultural experience,” she said. “They encourage students to go traveling and get involved in community service off campus, and students are so eager to learn the American way.”
After finishing the program this semester, Saddique said she’s excited to take back what she’s learned at CSUB and apply it to her studies in Pakistan, with a goal of eventually becoming a physics teacher.
“I want to do my research here and go back and serve my country,” she said. “Teaching is something I’ve always wanted to do. You get to learn throughout your career and your whole life.”
Sakamaki said she believes Saddique is well on her way to achieving her academic and career goals.
“She is really brave by doing this program and is determined to succeed,” she said. “We want to help her as much as we can and make her experience as meaningful as we can. We would like her to make the most of it.”
Original source can be found here.
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