THE WORLD ON ONE CAMPUS

Fawaz is our international student interview this week. He is from Kuwait and arrived in America in 2018. He gave us great tips on how to adjust to the US culture and homesickness. He is an accounting major and is still deciding his minor but is likely to choose finance. He is interested in attending Daniels since it is a well-known College for its opportunities and resources. He speaks three languages: Arabic (native language), French and English. His hobbies are hiking and photography.

When asked about why he chose DU, Fawaz shared that he wanted to be a pilot during his Middle School, but in his last year of High School, he changed his mind and decided to follow in his dad’s footsteps in studying accounting. Fawaz’s cousin and some friends are DU alumni and highly recommended DU’s accounting program.

Fawaz used to be part of Native Students Alliance (NSA), International Student Organization (ISO) and the Kuwait Student Organization at DU, which unfortunately was discontinued. Due to a busy schedule, he stopped his participation in those clubs but planned on getting more involved within the community again.

Regarding his adjustment to the US culture, Fawaz’s advice to students is to be a very social person. He recommends incoming students to be engaged in the DU community and he is thankful to all people he met. For him, the best way to not feel homesick is to be around friends. Quoting his words: “socialize as much as you can. Americans are friendly and welcoming so step up and talk to them. Go and enjoy the outdoor activities as much as possible and do the things you love. This will all help with homesickness. Also stay in touch with your family, they will help you cope with this experience.”

When asked about a cultural divergence between his country and America, he mentioned how surprised he was with how different the size was in America compared to Kuwait. Fawaz recalled the first time he visited a McDonald’s in the US and, even though he ordered a small meal, he considered the amount of food and drink bigger than it was in Kuwait. His top pick for a place to go in Denver is the Cherry Creek Grill and to make sure you order what he says are the best steaks!

An experience that made him feel welcomed in the US was when a friend invited him to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in their home last year. Fawaz was glad to be received in this homely environment and participate in their traditions during a very important celebration to Americans. Moreover, he shared that no such holiday exists in Kuwait, so that was the first celebration of Thanksgiving for him.

At DU International Admissions, we appreciate Fawaz sharing his story with us and want to hear from you! Leave us a comment or contact us with any question you would like to hear from our incoming international student stories.