How To Prepare Yourself Before Traveling

Photo and essay by Rafat Tarabichi

“To travel is to live.” leaving your country is not an easy experience, and being aware of some important points and issues can really help you from having problems in the country you are traveling to, and of course as long as you have more travels in your life you will figure out more tips.

The most important thing is to have a copy of all your valuable documents and papers, even your cell phone contact numbers. It would be very helpful to use them if they got lost. Try to keep all the papers organized in one folder and place it in a safe area, you might also need to copy your hard on your computer before you leave.

The second point is to change your money currency in your home town. Having the currency of the country you are going to visit in advance can prevent you from losing a lot of money at your destination. Also sometimes you might waste a lot of time looking for an exchange office. It’s also good to have a travel wallet in your journeys; it’s a hidden wallet you can put inside your clothes. You can purchase these wallets at almost any airport.

After that, you have to be aware if the country has a different time zone. If so, it’s good to adapt to the new time quickly and avoid jetlag as much as possible, so a couple of days before you travel, try to sleep in the night hours of the country you are about to visit.

The fourth point is not to carry too much luggage with you. It’s very hard to move in airports when you are carrying many bags and it’s good to mention not to wear or carry many metal accessories, belts, laptops and cameras. It will help you to move quickly at the check points. Losing your bag can ruin your trip. Therefore try to ask the travel agency to give you a tag to write your name and all the information required to reach you and place it on the bag.

In the end, there are many tips for traveling and it varies from one traveler to another. For me, these are the most important tips I always use on my journeys. Try to remember your tips and apply them when you travel every time.

Advice from an Upperclassman

photos and essay by Da Hyeon Han

Will you be studying at the ELI next semester? I am glad to hear that. I've been studying at the ELI since last semester. As I'm your upperclassman, I hope to give you some precious advice of what I experienced firsthand that can guide you to learn in more effective way. I'm quite sorry that I will have gone back to my country when you come here, so we can't talk face to face. Nevertheless, you can read it and bear these thoughts in your mind.

First of all, submit your assignments on time. As a student, submitting homework on time is mandatory. If you are late you will get 8 points subtracted per day. It will directly affect your final score. If your final score is under 80, you have to repeat the same class another semester. I thought teachers would let all of the students pass all their classes. However, I saw that a lot of students hadn't passed some classes last semester and now they are taking the same classes from last semester. If you are hungry for more knowledge, don't you think passing the classes are definite and basic elements for satisfying yourself?

Moreover, keep in mind that you should never use any other language besides English. You should reflect on why you are coming here. As ELI has a lot of students from a great number of countries, you will face numerous foreign students. Endeavor to keep a conversation with them no matter how well you speak English. Don't be shy nor be depressed by making mistakes. The more you speak, the more confidence and fluency you will obtain. We have a lot of American staff in ELI, and whenever you are not sure about grammar or pronunciation, you can ask them as they are available to talk.

In addition, go the REC center and make American friends. Studying is important but our health is as significant as studying. Without health what can we do? In Texas A&M we have a fabulous student sport center called the REC. It is the best amenity I've ever seen in Texas A&M. If you have the student identification card you can use it to enter the REC. In the REC you can not only play sports but also can make American friends. I've met two American friends in the REC whom I still connect and play sports with. We quickly became best friends. We've been hanging out together since our first encounter. We've gone to parties and studied this semester. I have also learned real American culture from them and made an incredible improvement in English. I hadn't thought I would make such a satisfied improvement before I came here. Don't always identify yourself as a foreigner.

To conclude, I hope you do about which I wrote. Even though we haven't met before, I just hope you enjoy your ELI life and use your leisure time in the most effective way. Submit your assignments on time, never use any other language besides English and "Go REC". Playing sports with Americans and being friends with them are kinds of essential requirements for improving your English. In Asia, there is a priceless adage, "The clever people are not better than those who trouble themselves with studying hard. Those who study hard are not better than those who enjoy what they are studying." Enjoy your ELI life and reach your goals.

How to Save Money by Cooking for Yourself

by Jui-Ta Liu

When you spend only forty dollars for two weeks of meals, you will be able to save a lot of money for travel funds for long term holidays. For instance, I had a wonderful trip in Chicago in the winter vacation of 2012. Compared to my country, the cost of living including eating, clothing, housing and transportation is three times higher in America especially you don’t have any sponsor supporting you. On behalf of international students, I recommend that you can try to cook at home by yourself, and then you will be surprised how much money you save per month. In fact, it’s a good and easy method to control your own living budget before you realize the astonishing amount you eat outside.

The first decision you should determine is where to live. You need to live off- campus instead of in an on-campus dormitory. Anyway, it is prohibited to cook in dormitories for safety reasons. There are several advantages to living off-campus such as lower housing fee and few living limitations. Definitely, cooking for yourself is one of the benefits. Most international students are concerned that they cannot find a suitable house in College Station. Don’t worry about it. Actually, there are many methods to obtain lots of rental information. I recommend that you contact the ELI staff to look for some assistance or ask ELI senior students. I believe they are willing to give you a hand.

Subsequently, you need to shop at supermarkets such as Walmart, HEB, Kroger etc. In fact, it is easy for you to find a great diversity of different countries’ ingredients. For instance, if you are an Asian student, you can go to an Asian market called BCS to buy rice, soy sauce, miso, kimchee and so on; if you come from the Middle East, you can buy slaughtered meat in Bryan which is next to College Station. Moreover, you also can buy cooking equipment at the same time. Even if you do not drive, you are still able to reach these places conveniently. Texas A&M University provides a complete campus bus service which has nineteen routes covering almost all of College Station. Therefore, you solve another annoying life problem. Take it easy! It seems you are ready to cook, aren’t you?

Furthermore, I am going to compare the cost of lunch if you eat at home or at restaurants. In any case, please ignore fast food at first; it’s not good for your health at all. In my own experience, you might pay seven to ten dollars at least if you eat a sandwich at Subway or a Chinese food plate at Panda Express with a drink. I just spend around ten dollars for two weeks including one and a half dollars for a loaf of bread; two dollars for a box of turkey slices; two dollars for peanut butter or jam; one and a half dollars for a box of large eggs; and three dollars for a gallon of milk. The total amount is ten dollars only. By the way, there are also a lot of coupons you can utilize to save more money. Don’t be shocked how much money you can keep in your bank account efficiently.

Besides studying hard to learn English during each semester, it is also essential for international students to experience different American life meanwhile. I’ve visited Seattle, Chicago and several neighboring cities because I just spent one hundred to one hundred and fifty dollars per month on eating. Finally, I can give you another advantage of cooking for yourself. I made a lot of friends through inviting them to traditional Taiwanese dishes. Come and join us!

How to Enjoy Yourself on Campus

photos and essay by Wisam Hassan

Do you feel bored or stressed from your studies? Join us if you are looking for some fun. The students have a busy schedule at the university and sometimes they do not have time to go off campus for entertainment. It is part of our nature as humans to become bored if we have the same routine schedule every day. Hence, students should break this cycle of routine to reenergize themselves through doing some fun stuff. This will affect your study positively. Personally, I recommend three entertaining activities you may enjoy with your friends or alone, as you like.

First of all, students who do not prefer physical activities or have only a short break between classes can play some video games or pool in the Memorial Student Center (MSC). MSC is located in the main Texas A&M campus and it is considered one of the biggest facilities in the university. In addition, it contains a wide variety of services such as cafeterias, bookstore, and students organizations. If you need to play pool or videogames, you just ask the staff member at the front desk. They need your student ID to give you a pool cue stick with balls or joysticks. For instance, sometimes I go to the MSC with my friends after lunch to play pool.

Furthermore, students who are interested in and enthusiastic about arts and music can pursue their hobbies by playing piano or attending art exhibits at the MSC. If a student wants to play piano, as I mentioned above, he may take the key for the piano room from the front desk. As an example, some students enjoy playing piano or listening to classical music while they are drinking their coffee. Also, students look for visual arts galleries can check the MSC website for the announcements of the opening of new exhibitions.

Finally, if you are an athlete and prefer playing some sports, you can go to the Recreational Center (REC) which is the wonderful, huge sport center of Texas A&M University. It includes soccer, volleyball and basketball courts, pools, and gyms. Moreover, if you do not find company to go with you to play soccer or volleyball to this place, do not worry. You can go alone and you will find a lot of students playing there and they welcome you to join them. Besides, you can seize this opportunity to meet new friends and establish new friendships with them. This will improve your English language.

In sum, students must relieve pressure or stress associated with moving to a new place or university atmosphere. They have opportunities to overcome this situation by doing some fun activities on campus. In fact, the newly arrived students will find in Texas A&M University the best entertaining facilities they have ever seen. In my opinion, entertaining yourself is as important as doing your homework.

How can You Get a Suitable Apartment?

photos and essay by Ansam Jameel Talib

Are you a new student in College Station? How can you get a suitable apartment there? I know you will say, "East or west, the home is the best.” But now you are moving to a new place far from your home. Everyone should have a suitable and comfortable place where he or she can rest and overcome the tiredness from the hard work. If you are an international student and looking for a secure, safe, and comfortable apartment, you should decide first where you want to reside: on-campus or off-campus.

The on-campus apartments have many advantages and some disadvantages. On-campus apartments are very secure and inside the campus. Also, there are university buses that come to these apartments. You will not be late for your morning classes because you will not feel the traffic jam problem. You will not have any problem about setting up utilities, and the electricity is cheaper than off-campus apartments. However, there are some disadvantages for on-campus apartments if you do not have your own car. There are some bus routes that take you some supermarkets, but that means you need to ride four buses going and coming to buy your food, clothes, or necessary things.

The off-campus apartments have some benefits, but you should remember to find a comfortable, quiet, and secure place. If you have your own car, many things will be easy to do. If you can wake up early you will not be late for your morning classes. You can buy your food clothes, or anything you need as you like. You do not need to follow the bus schedule. But you should look at your money. You can find some apartments with low prices, but what about the utilities? Some apartments do not have good maintenance.

In both cases first, you need to search online. You can visit this web link to see the apartment's on-campus: http://reslife.tamu.edu/ua/theGardens/ or off-campus http://studentlife.tamu.edu/agoss/requestpublication. You will find these apartments with annual updating for off-campus survival manual through this website. You can see how those apartments look like from a map and some pictures of an apartment. At the same time, you can check the prices, the utilities, and the rules for each apartment. For instance, some allow pets, but some do not. You can register online and fill out an application for an apartment after you choose which apartment you want. After that, you can pay the application fees and the deposit online to hold this apartment; you need to make a contract with the office for the apartment. You will need your official documents, especially two identification cards such as I-20, DS-2019, or your student card, your passport, and a bank statement. Finally, make sure you choose the right apartment because the contract is at least for six months.

To close, you should decide where you want to live: on-campus or off-campus. Find the place where you can be safe, and relaxed for a good price. If you check these guides, you will be able to choose your future apartment. Search online and be familiar with this small city.

Traveling Preparation Process

photo and essay by Abdulla Alshebli

Do you have any trouble preparing for traveling? Many people have a number of problems when they are preparing for traveling. What should they take with them? What are the things that they should not take with them? I have been studying abroad for two semesters, and I can help. There are several steps you should consider before coming to the US.

There are many things you should expect before coming here. Initially, you should be aware of the American immigration laws. Many students came to the US without being aware of those laws, so they had a number of issues with maintaining their status. The American Immigration Agency requires international students to attend not less than 83% of their classes. Many students were forced to leave the US, because they had less than that percentage. Another thing that you should be aware of is the huge amount of assignments that you are going to have when you come here. Most of the instructors here in the English Language Institute believe that the more assignments you have, the better level of English you will have. Consequently, they give the student a lot of assignments.

In addition, before departure you have to do several things. The most important thing that you should do is pack your luggage one week before departing. You should be sure that you pack everything you need. Many people do not know what to take and what to leave. First, you should bring all of the important documents you will need, such as your I-20, the passport, and any additional ID. Many people think that an additional ID is not important. In fact, last time I came to the US, an immigration officer asked me about one. However, I did not have any additional ID with me. Consequently, he delayed me, and I could not solve this problem without calling the UAE embassy. To add, it is recommended to leave anything that you can get here in your home, because it will add weight to your luggage. Furthermore, there are some items that you should not bring with you, such as pets, food, guns, and drugs.

After travel in foreign country you have to do several things in order to adjust the new environment. One of the significant things that you should do is to keep yourself as busy as possible. Many students who study abroad get homesick, and making yourself busy is a successful way to avoid this issue. Another thing that will help you to avoid homesickness is making new friends. At the same time, making friendship with native speakers can improve your English. Also, in order to have a great time here and to avoid any problem, you have to understand the new culture. Celebrating in the ELI cultural activities is going to help you to do this as well as asking the ELI teachers.

In order to prepare for studying overseas you have to do several things. I advise students who plan to study in the US to avoid thinking negatively, focus on the good aspects, and not to be worry. I hope that you have an amazing time in the ELI.

How to Open a File in SACM

by Yousef Alqurashi

Do you know that the most important step for Saudi students in the US is opening a file in SACM, Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission? SACM is a governmental sponsor for most Saudi students in the US. Let me explain how you can open a file easily.

First of all, get your immigration documents ready. The documents you need are your passport, I-20, I-94, acceptance letter from the ELI and your visa. It is a good idea to scan your passport, acceptance letter and your visa before you arrive in the US and save those file in your computer to facilitate the next steps. If you could not scan them before you arrive, scan them with the rest of your documents and collect them in a one folder in your computer. Be sure to make them JPG or PDF files and their size should be less than 500 Kilobytes. Once you finish this step go to the next step which is much easier.

Then, go to www.sacm.org. Next, click on Electronic Services and click on Student Sign Up and follow the instructions. Be sure to read all the instructions carefully because they may change the instructions from time to time. When you finish the application, check your email to find your username and password. Then, you are done.

When you open your file in SACM, you can enjoy a lot of services. In fact, you should open the file in order to get your stipend. Also, you can request any order you want it through your account. For example, you can request your financial guarantee, travel ticket and request for attending a symposium through Request a Service in your home page.

To wrap up, opening a file in SACM is an easy process. However, it may take as long as a week to successfully open it because the number of Saudi students in the US is large. I recommend that you open your file as soon as you arrive in the US to avoid any delay that may happen.

Find the Cure of Your Sickness at the Health Center

by Hassan Qutub

Have you ever been sick, and you need a doctor to check you out? No doubt that everyone has been sick once at least in his life. Of course to get a treatment and cure to yourself you need to go to a doctor to take a prescription. Everyone who gets sick has to see a specialist to examine him or her. Here in College Station, if you need to make an appointment and see a doctor you could go to the Health Center which located in the campus of Texas A&M. To find a cure and to treat yourself you need to finish some steps before and after seeing the doctor. These steps are the registration, making an appointment, and paying the fee of you appointment.

The registration is an easy steps and it will not take a long time. Register and make an account for the Health Center is the first and the most important steps, and you cannot do the several next steps without doing the registration. The registration requires having an identification of Texas A&M University, and then you need just go directly to the Health Center and make the account. Before going there you need to prepare yourself for some questions such as the age, personal information, and your health record.

How can you make an appointment with a doctor? After doing the registration you can see a doctor whenever you want and you can do that by different and easy ways. There are three ways to make the appointment, which are making it online, calling the Center, or doing it personally by going to the Health Center. To make the appointment online you need just go to their website and fill up some of information they require, and then make the appointment by one click. In my opinion, this way is the most comfortable way since you do not need to walk or call someone, however, all what you need is computer and connection to the internet. The second way is by calling them. The new international student will face some difficulties to make the appointment by calling them. Since they require a lot of important information, you need to understand them perfectly to answer them correctly. In my first time I called them to make an appointment, I did not understand anything, but just kept saying “yes, yes” and then I found myself making an appointment with a doctor who I do not need. The last and the most accurate way is by going to the Health Center, and making the appointment personally. You need to go there to make the appointment, and then stay there until the doctor calling your name. I went to the Health Center in my first semester in College Station because of the fever I had. After making the appointment they did a body examine, and then the doctor called me. In my view, going to the Health Center personally is the best way of doing the appointment.

Is these steps are all what you need to do? Most of patients who went to the Health Center do not need to pay fees. However, sometimes you need to pay such as when you do x-ray, photographing your body, physical therapy, and taking recommended medicine. In these conditions you need to pay fee, sometimes it costs more than a hundred, so you need to be aware before doing any step. Consider the example when I went to the Health Center to see an orthopediatricians because of soccer injury I had in my knee, the doctor did x-ray and forced to pay 61 dollars.

To conclude what I have mintioned above, registration, appointment, and paying fees are the complet steps to treat yourself at the Health Center. By following some easy steps you will have an account, able to see a doctor, and pay your due fees. All these steps everyone needs to do to remedy himself or herself at the Health Center In my opinion, these steps will not take a long time, so doing it early will benefit you in the future.

Purchasing Products Online

photo and essay by Mohammed Alharthi

Everything can come to you without any effort. Instead of going outside to buy anything you can order it and it will come to you, so you may save your time, money, and energy. Several products allowed to consumers to buy. I will try my best to write for you about how can you order food, if want to buy a book, an electronic device, video games, TV…etc. There is a great website called Amazon, I will discuss it later. In addition, there is some risky in using online payment, so I’ll tell you how to avoid being cheated.

There are many restaurants offer delivery service, and anyone can order. Purchasing food online is easier than going get food from the restaurant, because you can order it and wait for it. It won’t take a long time. It saves your time, I mean you might do your homework, read a book, and play some video games while you are waiting. There is a fabulous website called Food Friendz, you can look it up, it helps you to see what restaurant in your city can deliver to you. I like to add that some pizzas restaurant deliver anywhere in the US, such as Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, and sometimes Papa Johns. Furthermore, you may enter one of this restaurant website and make what you want to eat. You may create your own pizza. After when you’ve done you can pay online or pay cash. It’s an easy steps just try order one time and you’ll able to do it again and again.

Amazon is a great online company. They have a website you may purchase throw it. You can find what you need because there are about 34 categories. Amazon has a huge number of products. You may order anything you want and it will be in your mail in one day! To be honest, I use Amazon to buy my books and some school requirements. You need to register first to put your information such as your home address, your credit card information, and your contact. You can search throw Amazon website whatever you want. After you searched about the product and you need it, you will see a button Add to cart and you need to select the shipping standard. If you want your package to come quickly you need to buy more. Furthermore, I really encourage students to buy from this website, because it’s easy and it saves time. Finally, enjoy purchasing from this fabulous company’s service.

Many suggestions can help you avoid being cheated while you are buying online. Firstly, download an antivirus program to your computer to avoid hackers’ riskiness. My recommendation is to download AVIRA antivirus, because I believe it’s the best antivirus. Secondly, when you buy anything, make sure that the protocol is https:// because it completely saves your bank account information. Third, make sure to buy from trusted websites, not from any website or company. One of my friends had been stolen when he bought a book from a not trusted website and they didn’t give him his money back. Finally, use Paypal service which helps you to buy safely and quickly. I fully recommend using this service, because it saves your credit card information from being stolen. By these following structures you will be able to buy online safely.

To conclude my writing, I would like to help you enjoy your life here in the US. Buying your food from the adjacent restaurants makes life easier. In addition, your stuff from Amazon is the best thing you can make. To emphasize that following the previous structures will help to be in safe situation.