My name is Nada Tahiri and I was born and bred in Tangier, a cosmopolitan city in Morocco, a country in North Africa.
Living in Morocco enabled me to learn the five languages I speak today: Arabic, Berber (a language that belongs to my ethnic group, the Berbers), English, French, and Spanish.
I heard about Seton Hall University from CollegeBoard and the Princeton Review. I chose it because it gave me a great scholarship, it is near New York City, which will provide me with a lot of internship opportunities and because it has a beautiful campus.
Considering that I am very far away from home, I needed a place that would not depress me or add to my homesickness.
As an international student, the American environment is still very different for me and I am currently experiencing a culture shock.
I am trying to adapt to the American culture, mentality, food and even the weather; it is hard to find the spicy, organic food, tropical beach weather and slow-paced lifestyle that I am used to back home.
I admit that my first month here was very difficult because I was constantly homesick. However, I tried to make the best of it by meeting new people and joining some of the numerous social organizations Seton Hall offers.
As a result, I have made some new friends here who try to make me feel at home during my freshman year. For that, I am very grateful.
My best experience so far has been a trip to New York City where I fell in love with the amazing lights in Times Square, the Red Steps and the Manhattan skyline. I am glad that the city is merely a 20 minute train ride away from Seton Hall University.
Considering the second month of college has just started, I am more optimistic about the future and I hope that I will be able to adjust to my new surroundings and overcome the culture shock. Thankfully, I love Seton Hall University's beautiful campus and I am enjoying most of my classes.
Nada Tahiri can be reached at nada.tahiri@student.shu.edu.
