<p>I plan to begin university in fall 2011 and I'm already looking forward to it. Hopefully, I'll be accepted to George Mason soon! </p>
<p>My only dilemma is how I will deal with not having any family in the United States. Everyone is in Kenya and London, so I'm so very nervous about dealing with that. I was born in the U.S., father passed away and mother is back in Kenya. Right now, my sis is my legal guardian, but she also has to go back next year. Long, complicated story, but my main point is, I just cannot fathom zero family nearby. </p>
<p>I'll go visit Kenya in the summer after graduation, as usual, but when I get back, it'll be straight to college. Can I just go to Mason with my suitcases in August?! There will be serious shopping to be done for essential dorm items, I know. Also, there won't be a need for me to attend family orientation. From what I know, this is a time for parents or whoever someone has to be there and help a kid move in. And generally, just be there for a momentous occasion. </p>
<p>Oh and holidays, don't even want to think about that. I already feel like crying! Going to Kenya will be so expensive, especially during the holidays, over $2,000 for a ticket. That won't be an easy option at all.</p>
<p>Just wondering, do you know anyone who has dealt with this issue? I just don't even know.</p>
<p>I am not from another country but I go to 3000 miles from my family and moved in myself as well. Don’t worry you will not be alone! There will be lots of students who don’t have family nearby. Join the local international students organization, make friends in your dorm and you will be fine! You will definitely miss your family but try to go to friend’s houses for holidays such as Thanksgiving. Make sure to keep in touch through skype, email, phone etc. with your family but don’t let your missing them get in the way of meeting all sorts of new people at college…a lot of times, your friends can be your new family of sorts. Good luck!</p>
<p>I feel with you. I’m an American living in Germany with my parents and brother. The more serious this whole college thing gets, the more terrified I am about it. I’m going to be leaving my friends and family and by that time 4 year boyfriend behind. I do have family in Boston though, which I am very thankful for, so I’ll be able to spend holidays with them, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is such a scary thought. I’m really glad that tickets to Germany aren’t as expensive as to Kenya though.</p>
<p>Just try to make friends, and maybe you’ll be invited to their home for holidays!</p>
<p>EDIT: Another thing that worries me is where to keep all my stuff over the summer!! When my parents went to college they had a stationwagon full of stuff, and I’ll only be allowed a 20kg suitcase. Sure, I could have some stuff shipped or pay for an extra suitcase, but if I do that both ways every summer the prices will really add up, and we’re already gonna be paying enough for college. My aunt & uncle’s condo is too small, they won’t have any room. I’m crossing my fingers that I find a friend who lives nearby with a giant who will be willing to let me store my stuff there over the summer! xD</p>
<p>You’ll be fine, I know TONS of international students in your shoes. Just stay positive, and don’t luck yourself up in your room. Get out there, make friends. Join the International Student Organization, and attend meetings. Get to know people in your dorm. During breaks, you can stay with friends. That’s what my brother does. I was an RA, so I got free housing over summer break cos I’d work and take classes, but I go home for Christmas (Canada).</p>
<p>Thanks for the kind responses. I am an American student, born and lived here all my life. Just that all of my family are in Kenya, so it’s just going to be very difficult to deal with that. Waiting on that acceptance letter, I have faith that I’ll be accepted to GMU.</p>
<p>I’ll Skype and call my family, just communicate through Facebook, like now. By August, I hope I can come to terms with being on my own. I do have great friends who I could go home with for holidays. </p>
<p>I hope to major in Psychology and minor in global affairs.</p>
<p>My best friend has been in America alone since she started high school, her family is in Korea. She says that now America feels more like home than Korea. Just give it time and hang in there.</p>
<p>About the $2,000 flight ticket? That’s highway robbery! Check kayak.com at different times of the week and the day. Their prices fluctuate a lot corresponding to how many tickets they are selling. During different parts of the day and night when people are buying less tickets, their prices will drop.</p>
<p>I’m spending my entire senior year of HS in Poland on exchange and I don’t have any family here so I can kind of relate to what you will be going through. Granted, one year isn’t four and here I live with a host family, but I’ve gone through Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving without family and a host family sure as hell isn’t the same as the real thing. I can definitely tell you that at times, not having family around sucks. Some days all I want is to be home with my parents and pets and especially my brothers. Others, I don’t think about family at all. Curiously enough, Christmas was one of those days where I forgot about my family because I was wrapped up in enjoying new things. In college, for sure, you’ll have more days like that because you’ll constantly be meeting new people (who, unlike here, speak the same language as you) and you’ll have work.
And today’s one of my worst days because one of my best friends and the greatest people I’ve ever met returned to her home in Australia today. I felt a lot more saying goodbye to her at the airport than I did when I said goodbye to my parents five months ago. And life is about meeting people like her and making relationships like we had and you’re going to have four amazing years of doing this.</p>
<p>My school gives a five week long winter break, and classes do not resume until Jan 18th. Although I think this is a great break with lots of time many international students I know did not visit home. There are some that stayed on campus, others were given money from their parents to travel the country or visit relative. I do know a few that may not even visit home during the summer. It definately can be hard but many find other students in their same situation ( wanting to go home but too expensive) then I think their is some that don’t care much. I personally think it would haunt me not to visit home for at least a week of winter break, but many can do it just fine.</p>