Experiences from a Korean student who came to America
Coming to an America as a Korean student had seemed to come with many different obstacles. Some of these obstacles include pressure for financial stability, and also “fitting into”, society. These hardships divide into different categories such as social, economical, and culture issues. Korean students from Korea have a social barrier as well, within the society they don't have a difficult time understanding and speaking English, but rather the complications of grammar in the English language. Some Koreans also feel that they have a tough time making friends and feels as if there an outsider. Rather than the Korean American who has an easier time fitting in because of their uprising in America. Also the social construct of being in an American high school, there can be a lot of pressure within cliques and making friends. Language barrier and having an accent can make it difficult for a Korean student to make friends with American friends. Also the transportation and navigating through America can be a lot more difficult, because America is very vast and big, whereas South Korea is smaller than most states in America. Thus navigating through America is a hardship a Korean student finds himself in most of the time. Economically it is tougher for Korean students from Korea to find jobs in America. Jobs are usually found through a friend or a family member within the community, but when it comes to finding an independent career or just a part-time job, there is not a lot of options. Korean students from Korea are limited due to the fact of there skin color, and there lack of ability of speaking english adequately. Marginalized by other dominant races. Not only do they have the pressure to work part-time while in school, but they are financially pressured, because most students who come from Korea to America is to venture an educational career, and is fueled by motivation of financial success. There is a lot of pressure within the individual from his family back at home to succeed and send money back to South Korea. This is another hardship that comes from economical pressure. Lastly, the culture can be the hardest obstacle a Korean foreigner can go through. Forgetting their old tradition and being conformed to new culture, such as the food, music, and fashion can be difficult for them. This is a lot of tradition shifts when moving to a new country, and can cause a feeling of homesickness. All these pressures in these subcategories social, economically, and culturally, can cause a high depression rate, when there own fulfillments are not met. Depression is a huge issue in South Korea, and the pressure of conforming in a new society can be a lot for some students.